Myanmar Earthquake Death Toll Jumps to 2719

On Tuesday, the head of the military council in Myanmar said that the death toll from the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck the country last Friday jumped to 2719.

He added that 4521 were injured, and 414 were missing, with expectations that the number of deaths could reach 3000.

The State Administration Council in Myanmar declared a week of mourning for the victims of the earthquake.

A minute of silence was observed to honor the victims of the earthquake that destroyed buildings and infrastructure in a country already devastated by civil war.

Many residents are still sleeping outdoors and lack shelter, while aftershocks continue, raising fears of further building collapses.

Around 1000 foreign rescuers have arrived in Myanmar as part of the international efforts to help the country deal with the aftermath of the earthquake.

Relief operations have allowed the rescue of about 650 people alive from the rubble, according to state-run media.

In Thailand, which was also affected by the earthquake, rescue teams failed to extract any survivors from the collapsed high-rise building in Bangkok, four days after the earthquake.

Rescue officials stated that they were facing difficulties removing massive concrete debris, while government officials revealed that most of the workers in the collapsed building were from neighboring Myanmar, including undocumented migrants.