Myanmar earthquake: Man pulled alive from rubble after 5 days, toll crosses 2,700

Nearly five days after a catastrophic 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar and killed over 2,700 people, rescuers pulled a man 'alive' from the rubble of a collapsed hotel, officials confirmed on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old was rescued by a joint team of Myanmar and Turkish responders in Naypyidaw around 12.30 am local time (1800 GMT Tuesday), according to news agency AFP.

This follows the rescue of a 63-year-old woman from the rubble of a collapsed building in Myanmar's capital on Tuesday. The latest reports claimed that the powerful earthquake has claimed 2,716 lives, leaving 4,521 injured and 441 still missing. Officials have warned that these figures are most likely to increase.

"Among the missing, most are assumed to be dead. There is a narrow chance for them to remain alive as it has been over 72 hours," General Min Aung Hlaing, the leader of the country's military junta, said during a televised address.

The destructive earthquake hit vast regions in chaos as power outages, disrupted communication networks, and damaged infrastructure hampered rescue efforts. Roads and bridges were severely impacted, making it difficult to gauge the full scale of destruction.

The hardest-hit areas include Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, and the capital, Naypyitaw. Authorities report significant casualties and widespread devastation, with emergency teams working around the clock to assess the damage and rescue those trapped in the rubble.

In Mandalay alone, Myanmar's fire department confirmed that 403 people had been rescued, while 259 bodies had been recovered, according to news agency Associated Press. One of the most tragic incidents occurred at a monastery where 50 Buddhist monks, taking a religious exam, were killed when the building collapsed. Another 150 people are feared to be trapped beneath the rubble.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 10,000 buildings were either destroyed or severely damaged by the earthquake, further complicating relief efforts.

The tremors were also felt in neighbouring Thailand, where a high-rise under construction collapsed, burying workers under debris. The disaster claimed 21 lives in Bangkok, with 34 others suffering injuries. Rescue teams managed to recover two bodies on Monday and another on Tuesday, but many remain unaccounted for.

Authorities across the affected regions continue to race against time, searching for survivors and addressing the mounting humanitarian crisis.

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