US President Donald Trump said at a White House press conference that the United States will provide aid to Myanmar after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the country, which could leave thousands dead and missing, The Economic Times reported.
“We will provide assistance,” Trump said.
He added that he had told Myanmar officials to continue relief efforts,
However, he did not specify what form the US would provide.
The head of the military council, Min Aung Hlaing, also appealed for international help after the quake, through state media.
The death toll from the earthquake centered in Mandalay has risen to 144, with 732 injured, Min Aung Hlaing said on military television late on Tuesday. (This number is not accurate, but is a conservative estimate.)
The earthquake that struck at 12:51 p.m. on March 28 has killed 96 people in the Nay Pyi Taw Council area, 18 in Sagaing, and 30 in Kyaukse. The number of injured is 432 in Nay Pyi Taw, 300 in Sagaing, and a total of 732 in Kyaukse, Min Aung Hlaing said. The number of dead and injured is expected to continue to rise.
However, due to insufficient manpower and equipment to carry out search and rescue operations on the ground, hundreds of thousands more people may be missing than the number released by Min Aung Hlaing, local residents said.
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake was felt in Mandalay, Maymyo, Taunggyi, Sagaing, Monywa, Shwebo, Mogok, Hsipaw, Lashio, Kyaukme, Nay Pyi Taw, Pinlaung, Xaman, Bagan, Nyaung U, Pakokku, Magway, Mindon, Pyay, The earthquake was felt in many cities including Paungthi, Danuphu, Dedede, Maupin, Myaungmya, Pyapon, Laputta, Nyaungdon, Hinthada, Bago, Taikyi, Yangon, Mawlamyine, Hpa-an, Myawaddy, Karenni, Ye, Dawei, Myeik, Moenei, Dedede, Taikyi, Hinthada, and neighboring countries such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Mae Sot.
Photo – © APA | Donald Trump, US President
