The death toll in the earthquake in Myanmar has reached 2,719 people, and 4,521 are injured. 441 people are missing, said General Min Aung Hlaing, head of the country's military junta, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
He predicted that the number of victims could exceed 3,000.
Meanwhile, a number of countries have sent humanitarian aid to Myanmar and neighboring Thailand after the powerful earthquake that shook the two regions on Friday. Relief efforts are focused mainly on Myanmar, where the death toll continues to rise.
The epicenter of the quake was near Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city with a population of 1.5 million. In neighboring Thailand, at least 18 people have died, with 78 people missing. Among the victims in Thailand are 10 people who were working at the construction site of a new audit office building. The remaining victims are from different parts of the city, the "Bangkok Post" reported.
Rescue operations are ongoing and three survivors were rescued yesterday. Chinese emergency teams rescued two women and a child from the rubble of a collapsed building in Mandalay, about 60 hours after the earthquake. Those rescued included a 5-year-old child, a pregnant woman and a 29-year-old woman, Myanmar's state news agency reported.
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake caused buildings to collapse and roads to cave in, severely complicating rescue efforts in the affected areas.