On Friday, March 28, 2025, a catastrophic 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar, unleashing widespread destruction and claiming over 1,600 lives, with countless others feared buried beneath the rubble.
As of Sunday, March 30, the grim reality of the disaster has begun to settle over the nation’s second-largest city and its capital, Naypyitaw, where the pervasive smell of decaying bodies now haunts the streets.
News outlets worldwide, including the Associated Press (AP), WHIO TV 7, and CNN, have reported on the scale of the tragedy and the frantic efforts to rescue survivors amid challenging conditions.
According to the Associated Press, the earthquake hit at midday on Friday, with its epicenter near Mandalay, toppling scores of buildings and severely damaging critical infrastructure, including the city’s airport.
By Sunday, residents were seen working tirelessly by hand to sift through the debris, desperate to find signs of life.
“The smell of decaying bodies permeated the streets of Myanmar’s second-largest city,” AP reported, painting a harrowing picture of a community overwhelmed by loss and urgency. The death toll, already exceeding 1,600, is expected to rise as more areas are assessed.
WHIO TV 7 echoed this sentiment, noting that the lack of heavy machinery has forced locals to rely on manual labor to clear rubble.
“People worked frantically by hand in the hope of finding someone still alive,” the outlet stated, emphasizing the dire circumstances two days after the quake.
The report highlighted the extensive damage in Mandalay, where the once-bustling city now stands as a testament to nature’s destructive power.
The capital, Naypyitaw, also suffered significant devastation. AP reported that official relief efforts there have prioritized government offices and staff housing, leaving residential areas largely to the mercy of locals and aid groups.
“The hot sun beat down and the smell of death hung in the air,” the outlet described, underscoring the grueling conditions for those searching through collapsed structures.
Meanwhile, a team from neighboring China managed to rescue an elderly man trapped for nearly 40 hours beneath a hospital in Naypyitaw, offering a rare glimmer of hope amid the tragedy, as reported by China’s Xinhua news agency.
CNN provided additional context on the broader impact, noting that rescue efforts are being complicated by Myanmar’s ongoing civil war.
“In Myanmar, which is also known as Burma, rescue efforts so far are focused on Mandalay and Naypyitaw,” CNN stated, adding that many other affected areas remain unaccounted for due to limited access and communication.
The outlet cited an expert, Bragg, who warned, “We’re hearing reports of hundreds of people trapped in different areas… you’ve got to assume [the death toll] will be increasing in the thousands.”
Myanmar’s position on the Sagaing Fault, a major tectonic boundary between the India and Sunda plates, has long made it vulnerable to seismic activity.
This latest quake, however, stands out for its sheer scale and the compounding factors hindering recovery. WHIO TV 7 reported that while emergency rescue teams began arriving on Sunday, the response has been slow and fragmented, particularly outside the major cities.
In Thailand, where the quake also claimed at least 17 lives, the focus has shifted to supporting Myanmar’s harder-hit regions, though logistical challenges persist.
Posts on X have reflected the growing concern and sorrow, with users like @DonnaGallipeau and @Kenndogg22 sharing AP’s coverage and lamenting the unfolding crisis.
“Smell of death permeates Myanmar cities after quake kills over 1,600 and leaves countless buried,” they wrote, linking to articles that have amplified the disaster’s visibility globally.
As the death toll climbs and the stench of decay grows stronger, the people of Myanmar face an uphill battle. The lack of adequate equipment, coupled with the nation’s political instability, has left rescue operations severely strained.
CNN reported that the absence of comprehensive data from remote areas suggests the true extent of the catastrophe may not be known for days or weeks. “Right now we’re at 1,600 known fatalities,” Bragg told the outlet, “but based on the impacts, it’s likely to increase significantly.”
