Desperate search for survivors as aftershocks rattle Myanmar

Residents scoured collapsed buildings on Sunday searching for survivors as aftershocks rattled the devastated city of Mandalay, two days after a massive earthquake killed at least 1,700 people in Myanmar and at least 18 in neighboring Thailand.

- Agence France-Presse

MANDALAY, MYANMAR: Residents scoured collapsed buildings on Sunday searching for survivors as aftershocks rattled the devastated city of Mandalay, two days after a massive earthquake killed at least 1,700 people in Myanmar and at least 18 in neighboring Thailand.

The initial 7.7-magnitude quake struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay early Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock.

The tremors collapsed buildings, downed bridges and buckled roads, with mass destruction seen in the city of more than 1.7 million people.

At around 2:00 pm (local time) on Sunday, another aftershock—of 5.1 magnitude according to the US Geological Survey—sent people into the streets in alarm once again, temporarily halting rescue work.

Myanmar's ruling junta said in a statement Sunday afternoon that about 1,700 people were confirmed dead so far, about 3,400 injured and around 300 more missing.