Myanmar Earthquake Horror: Woman Pulled Out From Rubble After Being Buried for 91 Hours As Search Op Continues

Naypyitaw: The 7.7 earthquake that struck Myanmar and the aftershocks that followed, have left behind a trail of mass devastation and a death toll that continues to rise each day. As the search operation for survivors continues in the earthquake-struck country, a woman has been pulled out alive from the rubble, after being buried for over 91 hours.

Myanmar Earthquake Horror: Woman Rescued from Beneath Rubble After 91 Hours

Rescue teams in Myanmar's capital successfully freed a 63-year-old woman from the rubble of a collapsed building on Tuesday, but the chances of finding additional survivors were dwindling following the devastating earthquake that claimed at least 2,000 lives. The disaster has added to the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by the country's brutal civil conflict.

According to the Naypyitaw fire department, the woman was rescued early on Tuesday, 91 hours after the earthquake struck on Friday afternoon. She had been trapped when the building collapsed during the 7.7 magnitude earthquake. Experts suggest that the likelihood of finding more survivors significantly decreases after 72 hours.

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In a show of respect, search and rescue operations briefly halted on Tuesday to observe a minute of silence for the victims. Although foreign aid workers are gradually arriving to assist with the rescue efforts, progress remains slow due to a lack of heavy equipment in many affected regions. At one site in Naypyitaw, rescuers formed a human chain to pass debris from the collapsed building by hand.

According to Myanmar's official Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper, a Chinese rescue team saved four individuals the previous day from the wreckage of the Sky Villa apartment complex, which had collapsed during the earthquake. Among the survivors were a 5-year-old child and a pregnant woman, both of whom had been trapped for more than 60 hours. The same report also stated that two teenagers managed to crawl out of the ruins using their cell phone flashlights to guide rescuers to their location. With the help of their information, rescuers were able to locate their grandmother and sibling.

7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Struck Myanmar: Death Toll Crosses 2000, Likely to Rise Further

The epicenter of the earthquake was near Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, and the military-run government has reported 2,065 deaths, over 3,900 injuries, and 270 missing. These figures are expected to rise as the full extent of the damage is still being assessed, with many areas cut off from power, phone, and cell services, and significant destruction to infrastructure such as roads and bridges.

Also Read: Myanmar Earthquake: How Ongoing Civil War is Complicating Relief Efforts?

The Myanmar Fire Services Department reported that 403 people have been rescued in Mandalay, and 259 bodies have been recovered so far. One of the most tragic incidents involved the collapse of a monastery where 50 Buddhist monks, who were taking a religious exam, lost their lives, with 150 others feared to be trapped. The World Health Organization reported that more than 10,000 buildings across central and northwest Myanmar have either collapsed or sustained severe damage.

International Rescue Teams from Several Countries Including India Offer Assistance

International rescue teams from Russia, China, India, the UAE, and other Southeast Asian countries are now on the ground, and the US Embassy confirmed that an American team has been dispatched, though they have not yet arrived. Meanwhile, several countries have pledged millions of dollars in aid to support Myanmar and humanitarian organizations in their massive recovery effort.