Myanmar Earthquake Death Toll Tops 1,600; Bangkok High-Rise Collapse Kills 11

YANGON/BANGKOK - A devastating earthquake in Myanmar has killed at least 1,644 people, with thousands more missing or injured-and its violent tremors were so powerful they caused a high-rise under construction in Bangkok, Thailand, to collapse nearly 1,000km (621 miles) away.

Mounting Casualties and Desperate Search for Survivors

• Myanmar's military government reported 3,408 injured and 139 missing Saturday, though independent verification remains difficult.

• In Bangkok, authorities confirmed 11 dead, 32 injured, and 83 missing after the building collapse. Fire and Rescue Thailand later recovered another body overnight.

• A rare moment of hope emerged when a woman was rescued after 30 hours under rubble in Mandalay.

Rescue Efforts Complicated by Ongoing Military Strikes

Even as survivors are pulled from debris, Myanmar's military reportedly conducted air strikes in earthquake-affected regions-some already under states of emergency. In response, the opposition National Unity Government announced the People's Defence Force (PDF) will pause offensive operations for two weeks in disaster zones, limiting actions to self-defense only.

Why This Earthquake's Reach Was So Extraordinary

Seismologists note the quake's unusual intensity, with tremors felt across Southeast Asia. The Bangkok high-rise collapse-extremely rare for a structure so distant from the epicenter-raises questions about construction safety standards in Thailand's capital.