As of Sunday afternoon, March 30, 2025, Myanmar’s death toll climbed to 1,700, up from 1,644 the previous day, according to a statement broadcast on the military-run MRTV. In Bangkok, Thailand, officials confirmed 17 deaths, 32 injuries, and 83 people still missing, primarily from the collapse of a high-rise construction site near Chatuchak Market. The 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck at 12:50 p.m. on Friday, March 28, its epicenter just 10 kilometers deep near the Sagaing Fault, approximately 16 kilometers from Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city. The shallow quake’s violent force leveled homes, split roads, and brought down major infrastructure, including bridges and control towers.
The junta’s latest tally includes 3,400 people injured and more than 300 still missing—numbers that are expected to grow. “We’re still counting,” a junta spokesperson said Sunday, acknowledging the difficulty of getting reliable data due to power outages, broken communications, and ongoing conflict in many regions. The U.S. Geological Survey warned the death toll could eventually exceed 10,000 as rescue efforts continue in remote and heavily damaged areas.
In Mandalay, at least 1,591 homes have been destroyed, while in Naypyidaw, the airport’s control tower collapsed, reportedly killing all personnel inside, confirmed via satellite imagery shared by the Associated Press. Official death breakdowns include 96 in Naypyidaw, 18 in Sagaing, and 30 in Mandalay—but locals say those figures barely scratch the surface.
“There’s no one left to find on my street—all gone,” one Mandalay resident told Reuters.
With crematoriums overwhelmed, residents have begun burning bodies in the streets, a grim testament to the scale of the tragedy and the desperation on the ground.
More than 600 miles from the epicenter, Thailand’s capital also felt the quake’s reach. A 30-story building under construction near Chatuchak Market collapsed during the shaking. By Sunday, rescue workers confirmed 17 dead, 32 injured, and 83 workers still unaccounted for, buried beneath tons of twisted steel and shattered concrete.
One additional body was recovered late Saturday night, according to Fire and Rescue Thailand, and search efforts have continued non-stop.
“We’re digging as fast as we can,” a dust-covered rescue worker told.
“Every hour we wait, it’s worse.”
The building, originally planned as office space, now lies in ruins as drones, rescue dogs, and cranes search for signs of life.
The rising toll reflects the enormous challenge of gathering accurate information across a region devastated by both natural and man-made crises. In Myanmar, ongoing civil war since the 2021 military coup has shattered transportation infrastructure and blocked aid access in some areas. Power remains out in many zones, and cell service is unreliable. In Thailand, rescue technology and teams are more robust, but the scale of the collapse at the Chatuchak site makes progress slow and painful.
For families in both countries, the pain is personal and immediate. In Myanmar, a grieving mother told The Guardian she lost her 3-year-old daughter when the hotel they were staying in collapsed. “I have nothing left,” she said. “Only my tears.” In Bangkok, a woman waited outside the rubble for hours on Sunday, hoping her husband, one of the missing 83, would still be found alive.
As the sun set on Sunday, the known death toll stood at 1,700 in Myanmar and 17 in Thailand—numbers that continue to rise. With every hour, rescue crews uncover more tragedy, and with hundreds still missing, officials warn the worst may not be over.