Bangkok (AP)-The death toll from a strong earthquake of 7.7 in Myanmar jumped to more than 1000 on Saturday, as more bodies were withdrawn from the ruins of dozens of buildings that collapsed when they were hit near the second largest city in the country.
The country -led government said in a statement that 1002 people were now found dead, 2,376 others were wounded, and 30 others were lost. The statement indicated that the numbers still rise, saying, “The detailed numbers are still collected.”
Myanmar is in the midst of a long and bloody civil war, which is already responsible for a huge humanitarian crisis. It makes the movement throughout the country difficult and dangerous, making relief efforts and raising fears that the death toll still can rise.
In the middle of the day on Friday, the earthquake with a marina center is not far from Mandalay, followed by many wireless tremors, including a 6.4 size. The buildings were sent in many areas that fall on the ground, the roads that bind, causing bridges to collapse and exploded.
In neighboring Thailand, the earthquake shook the Greater Bangkok region, habitat of about 17 million people-many of whom live in tall buildings-and other parts of the country.
The Bangkok city authorities said that six people have been found so far, 26 injuries, and 47 are still missing, most of them are from the construction site near the famous Chatuckak market in the capital.
When the earthquake struck, the 33 -storey earthquake was fluctuated by a Chinese company for the Thai government, and then crashed into the ground in a huge column of dust that sent people screaming and fleeing from the scene.
On Saturday, more heavy equipment was brought to move tons of rubble, but hope was fading between friends and family members in the missing people who will be found alive.
“I was praying because they had survived, but when I got here and saw the ruin-where could they be? In what angle? Are they still alive? I still pray that all the six are alive,” said Naromol Thongilk, who is 45 years old, crying while she was waiting for news about her partner, who is from Myanmar, and five friends working on the site.
She said, “I cannot accept this. When I see this, I cannot accept this. I am an intimate friend there too.”
Waenphet Panta said she had not heard from her daughter Kanlaynee since a phone call about an hour before the earthquake. Her friend Kanlaynee told that he was working in the building on Friday.
“I pray my daughter safe, and she survived and that she is in the hospital,” said Kanliani’s father sitting next to him.
The Myanmar government said that the blood was high in demand in the most affected areas. In a country the previous governments were sometimes slow to accept external aid, Main Ong Hinging said Myanmar is ready to accept help.
The official Xinhua News Agency reported that a team of 37 members from the Chinese province of Yunnan arrived in the city of Yangon early on Saturday with earthquake detectors, drones and other supplies.
The Russian Emergency Ministry sent two planes carrying 120 rescuers and supplies, according to a report issued by the Russian government news agency Tass.
India has sent a search and rescue team and a medical team in addition to rulings, while the Foreign Ministry in Malaysia said that the country will send 50 people on Sunday to help identify and provide aid to the worst regions.
The United Nations allocated $ 5 million to the start of relief efforts. President Donald Trump said on Friday that the United States will help in responding, but some experts were concerned about this effort given the deep discounts of his administration in foreign assistance.
The Trump administration’s discounts to the United States Agency for International Development have already forced the United Nations and the NGO to cut many programs in Myanmar.
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AP Jerry Harmer and Grant Peck in Bangkok contributed to this report.