Myanmar declares week of mourning as earthquake death toll exceeds 2,000

Myanmar's military-led government has announced a week of national mourning after a catastrophic 7.7-magnitude earthquake devastated parts of the country, pushing the death toll beyond 2,000.

National flags will fly at half-mast until April 6 as a mark of respect for the lives lost and the widespread destruction caused by the disaster.

The earthquake, which struck on Friday, has left entire communities in ruins, particularly in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city with a population of over 1.7 million. As rescue operations gradually slow down, residents continue to camp out on streets, fearful of returning to damaged buildings amid ongoing aftershocks.

“The situation is so dire that it's hard to express what is happening,” said Aung Myint Hussein, chief administrator of Mandalay's Sajja North mosque. Many residents, including families with young children, have resorted to sleeping on blankets in the streets to avoid collapsing structures.

According to the ruling junta, the death toll now stands at 2,056, with more than 3,900 people injured and 270 still missing. Among the deceased are three Chinese nationals and two French citizens, according to reports from China's state media and France’s foreign ministry.

The impact of the quake was felt far beyond Myanmar’s borders, with at least 19 people confirmed dead in Bangkok, Thailand, where a 30-storey tower under construction collapsed due to the tremors.

Mandalay’s largest hospital, with a capacity of 1,000 beds, has been evacuated. Makeshift treatment areas have been set up outdoors, where patients lie on gurneys under tarpaulin sheets providing little protection from the scorching tropical heat.

“This is a very, very imperfect condition for everyone,” said a medic working at the site who requested anonymity. “We are trying our best.”

The heat is proving to be a significant challenge, accelerating the decomposition of bodies and complicating identification efforts. Despite the devastation, daily life is slowly resuming in parts of Mandalay, with shops reopening and street vendors returning to work.

On Monday, hundreds of Muslims gathered outside a damaged mosque in the city to perform prayers for Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan.

Myanmar's military government, which has remained largely isolated since seizing power in a 2021 coup, made a rare appeal for foreign aid. The World Health Organization has declared the quake a top-level emergency and urgently requested $8 million to support life-saving efforts and prevent disease outbreaks over the next month.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has also launched an appeal for over $100 million to aid victims. Junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun expressed gratitude to key allies China, Russia, and India for their support, stating that efforts were ongoing to assist the injured and locate the missing.

Despite the appeal for help, Myanmar's internal conflict continues unabated. Reports have emerged of air strikes by the military against ethnic minority armed groups even as the country grapples with the aftermath of the earthquake. One group reported losing seven fighters in an aerial attack shortly after the disaster, with more air strikes reported on Monday.

Myanmar’s civil war, triggered by the 2021 coup, has displaced approximately 3.5 million people, further complicating rescue and relief efforts in the quake’s aftermath.