Myanmar earthquake victim pulled alive from rubble after 5 days; video captures moment of hope (WATCH)

synopsis

Rescuers in Myanmar pulled a man alive from the rubble of a collapsed hotel in Naypyitaw five days after a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the country, as international calls grew for the junta to allow more humanitarian aid and cease hostilities against armed groups.

The powerful earthquake on March 28 flattened buildings across Myanmar, killing more than 2,700 people and leaving thousands homeless. Relief operations have been severely hindered by ongoing conflict between the military and various ethnic armed groups opposing junta rule since the 2021 coup.

Survivor Rescued Amid Destruction

On April 2, a 26-year-old hotel worker was rescued from the ruins by a joint Myanmar-Turkish team. Footage shared by the Myanmar Fire Services Department showed the man dazed and covered in dust but conscious as he was pulled from the debris and placed on a stretcher. His survival brought a moment of hope amid fading expectations of finding more survivors.

Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing said on April 1 that the official death toll had risen to 2,719, with over 4,500 injured and 441 people still missing. However, disrupted communication and damaged infrastructure have slowed data collection, and officials fear the actual toll could be much higher.

Calls for Peace and Humanitarian Access

The United Nations and international rights groups have urged both the junta and opposition forces to cease hostilities and prioritize aid delivery to affected regions. UN special envoy Julie Bishop called on all parties to focus on civilian protection and humanitarian assistance.

Even before the earthquake, 3.5 million people were displaced by ongoing fighting, many of whom were already facing severe food shortages, according to UN reports.

In response to the disaster, three of Myanmar’s most powerful ethnic minority armed groups, operating under the Three Brotherhood Alliance, announced a one-month pause in hostilities to facilitate relief efforts. The People’s Defence Force (PDF), a civilian resistance movement, also partially suspended attacks.

Despite these ceasefires, reports have emerged of continued junta airstrikes on rebel-held areas. Min Aung Hlaing justified the attacks, claiming that armed groups were using the pause to reorganize and prepare further assaults.

“We are aware that some ethnic armed groups are currently not engaged in combat but are organizing and training to carry out attacks,” he said in a statement on April 1. “Since such activities constitute attacks, the Tatmadaw (armed forces) will continue to carry out necessary defensive activities.”

Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong condemned the military airstrikes, stating that they “exacerbated the suffering of the people” and called for an immediate cessation of military operations to allow full humanitarian access.

Amnesty International also criticized the junta, accusing it of complicating earthquake relief efforts through ongoing violence. “You cannot ask for aid with one hand and bomb with the other,” said Joe Freeman, Amnesty’s Myanmar researcher.

Tragedy in Thailand

The earthquake’s impact extended beyond Myanmar, causing devastation in neighboring Thailand. In Bangkok, rescuers continue to search through the wreckage of a collapsed 30-storey skyscraper that crumbled due to the tremors. The under-construction building buried dozens of workers, with the death toll at the site rising to 22 and more than 70 people still believed to be trapped.

As the international community continues to pressure Myanmar’s military to halt its attacks and facilitate humanitarian efforts, the earthquake-stricken nation remains in a dire humanitarian crisis, with thousands still in need of urgent assistance.