A 53-year-old man was rescued Wednesday from hotel rubble in Myanmar, 125 hours after being trapped, thanks to Myanmar firefighters and a Chinese rescue team. CNN
Two men have been rescued from the rubble in Myanmar, more than five days after a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake shook the country. The surprise rescues brought moments of relief in a nation still reeling from the destruction and loss.
One man, aged 53, was pulled from the ruins of a collapsed hotel in Mandalay. He had been trapped under debris for over 125 hours. Myanmar fire officials, with help from a Chinese rescue team, saved him. A video on social media showed rescue workers cheering as they carried him out on a stretcher.
Another man, 40 years old, was found in the nearby city of Sagaing. He had also been buried under the rubble. Local rescue teams located him using special cameras. He is now recovering at a nearby hospital and is reported to be stable.
These rescues come as Myanmar’s military government temporarily stopped fighting with opposition groups to focus on disaster response. The ceasefire is meant to help recovery efforts, although it's still unclear if all sides are honoring the agreement.
The earthquake has already claimed over 3,000 lives. Thousands more are injured. Many people are still missing, and officials fear the death count could rise. Rescue teams continue to search, though hopes of finding more survivors are fading fast.
Hospitals in Myanmar are struggling. Many are now working out of tents, as buildings have been damaged or destroyed. A member of the World Health Organization said these tents are acting like mobile clinics. Medical workers are treating patients with serious wounds, fractures, and shock without basic supplies or proper shelter.
According to one aid group, around 500 buildings have completely collapsed. Another 800 are damaged. This makes the rescue efforts even harder, as teams have to carefully search unstable structures.
Before the earthquake, Myanmar was already in a tough spot. Years of civil war had left many people without homes and healthcare. The disaster has only made things worse, especially in remote areas that were already hard to reach.
Meanwhile, tremors from the earthquake also hit parts of Thailand. In Bangkok, an under-construction high-rise building collapsed, killing at least 15 people. Dozens more are feared trapped. On Thursday, rescue workers digging through the wreckage said they heard a voice responding from a shaft. This gave families waiting outside some hope.
“We heard a response after calling into the shaft,” said Bangkok’s governor. “This is a strong sign someone is alive. We’re working non-stop to get them out.”
Back in Myanmar, nearly 20 million people—one in three—were already in need of help before the quake. On Thursday, the UN Secretary-General said more aid is on the way. He announced that top UN officials will travel to Myanmar to support recovery and peace efforts. The UN also warned that the coming monsoon season could make things worse unless help reaches quickly.
