Myanmar earthquake death toll climbs above 3,350; UN pleads for help

The death toll from the powerful Myanmar earthquake that also shook neighboring Thailand nearly a week ago has now reached 3,354, with the UN calling on the world Saturday to rally around the devastated country.

The 7.7-magnitude quake turned thousands of buildings into rubble, buckled roads and destroyed bridges, affecting more than 17 million people in the Southeast Asian country.

In its wake, 4,589 people were left injured and another 221 remain missing, the country’s information minister said.

At least 23 people have died in Thailand, primarily in the country’s capital Bangkok, which was also rocked by the March 28 earthquake.

Dozens are also still missing, according to city officials.

United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher visited Mandalay Saturday, near the quake’s epicenter and Myanmar’s second largest city.

“The destruction is staggering. Lives lost. Homes destroyed. Livelihoods shattered. But the resilience is incredible,” Fletcher wrote on X.

“Families sleeping outside the ruins of their homes while bodies of loved ones are pulled from rubble. Real fear of more quakes,” he added.

Three USAID workers meanwhile were told they were being laid off after they arrived in Myanmar, as part of dismantling of US foreign aid programs, according to Marcia Wong, a former senior USAID official.

Search and rescue operations continue in both countries.

With Wires