Myanmar-Thailand earthquake live updates: Death toll crosses 2,000 in Myanmar
The 7.7 magnitude earthquake rattled much of Southeast Asia on Friday.
A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake rattled much of Southeast Asia on Friday, resulting in mounting casualties and flattened skyscrapers from Myanmar to Thailand.
The epicenter was in Mandalay, Myanmar, the country's second-largest city. Even Bangkok, some 600 miles away, felt widespread shaking and saw significant damage from the quake -- including the total collapse of a skyscraper under construction.
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Death toll crosses 2,000
Casualties are expected to rise as search and rescue efforts are underway in collapsed buildings in Myanmar and Thailand, officials said.
In Myanmar, the death toll has climbed to 2,056, with more than 3,900 people injured and 270 people reported missing, according to the Myanmar Military Junta.
In Bangkok, at least 13 people were killed in a building collapse in Chatuchak, according to the Bangkok Metro Authority.
Myanmar faces worst devastation in Asia in 100 years, IFRC says
Myanmar is experiencing "a level of devastation that hasn't been seen over a century in Asia," the acting head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said following Friday's earthquake.
"This is a level of the earthquake that we're going to see not just today, tomorrow, but for the next weeks," Marie Manrique told CNN on Sunday.
The IFRC launched an emergency appeal calling for "global solidarity" as it mobilized its teams to help in the rescue efforts in Myanmar.
The IFRC statement reported significant damage to critical infrastructure across the country, noting that "airports in Mandalay and Naypyidaw remain closed due to safety concerns and telecommunications outages are hampering coordination in several regions."
Addressing the many issues facing humanitarian efforts, the organization's regional director for Asia Pacific, Alexander Matheou said, "This is not just a disaster; it is a complex humanitarian crisis layered over existing vulnerabilities."
"Myanmar continues to face internal displacement and food insecurity," Matheou said. "This earthquake exacerbates an already fragile situation. The global community must step forward to support a bold and sustained response."
-ABC News' Mike Trew and Victoria Beaule
5.1 magnitude aftershock strikes Myanmar
A 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck about 17 miles north of Mandalay, Myanmar, on Sunday afternoon, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The quake near the second-largest city in Myanmar came amid a series of aftershocks following a powerful 7.7 magnitude that struck the country with an epicenter near Mandalay on Friday afternoon.
The USGS also recorded another strong aftershock, as a 4.2 magnitude quake hit struck near Shwebo, which is about 68 miles northwest of Mandalay, earlier on Sunday.
-ABC News’ Somayeh Malekian
Myanmar resistance group announces partial ceasefire
Myanmar's National Unity Government has announced it will implement a "two-week pause in offensive military operations" in areas affected by the earthquake starting March 30.
The National Unity Government is the representative body of the ousted civilian government that was overthrown in the 2021 military coup, which led to the ongoing civil war.
The military government in Myanmar has not made a similar announcement.
American couple talks about surviving quake
Garret Briere and his wife told ABC News they never could have imagined that their first vacation to Thailand ended up being one of the most terrifying experiences of their lives.
The couple from Washington state were in the mall across the street from the 34-story building when they saw it implode and crash to the ground.
"We ran out of the building because it started shaking," Garret said. "I grabbed my wife’s hand and I said, 'Don’t let go.' Immediately, we were just covered in dust and debris, and we couldn’t see, and there were thousands of people just in a panic."
It took just several seconds for the entire building to be reduced to a 7-story high pile of rubble, the couple said.
-ABC News' Brit Clennett, Karson Yiu, Gamay Palacios and Preechaya Rassadanukul