Myanmar held a nationwide moment of silence on Tuesday to honor the victims of a catastrophic earthquake that struck the country last Friday, claiming the lives of over 2,700 people, including 50 children at a preschool near Mandalay, Al Jazeera reports.
The magnitude 7.7 earthquake, the strongest to hit Myanmar in over a century, struck around lunchtime on Friday, toppling both ancient pagodas and modern buildings. As the nation mourned, aid groups reported that communities in the most affected areas were struggling to access basic necessities like food, water, and shelter.
In a televised address on Tuesday, Myanmar’s military leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, announced that the official death toll had reached 2,719 and warned that it could potentially exceed 3,000. He also reported that 4,521 people were injured and 441 remained missing. The earthquake also claimed at least 20 lives in neighboring Thailand.
Throughout Myanmar, sirens sounded at 12:51pm (06:21 GMT), the precise time the earthquake struck, calling residents to a standstill for a minute of remembrance.
In Mandalay, one of the hardest-hit cities in central Myanmar, the sirens resonated powerfully. Outside the Sky Villa apartment complex, one of the city’s worst disaster sites, rescue workers paused their efforts and lined up with hands clasped behind their backs to pay their respects.
Officials and attendants stood behind a cordon, observing relatives who gathered further back as the sirens wailed. A Myanmar flag flew at half-mast from a bamboo pole tied to a rescue tent, symbolizing the nation’s grief and solidarity in the face of the devastating tragedy. As the country mourns its losses, the focus remains on providing urgent aid to those affected by the earthquake and searching for those still missing.
