An estimated 80% of Sagaing City has been destroyed following yesterday’s powerful earthquake, with nearly 50 deaths confirmed so far. However, the actual death toll is feared to be in the hundreds as no rescue operations are currently underway, according to local residents.
“The destruction in Sagaing could be worse than in Mandalay. At Myat Kyaik Private School, children were inside when the building collapsed—none survived. At Lay Kyun Myay Brick Monastery, many young students were attending a cultural class when it collapsed, and nearly half of them are still trapped. Right now, there is no way to even begin organizing rescue efforts,” said a volunteer from a local humanitarian group.
The new Sagaing Bridge, which connects the city to Mandalay, has sustained cracks, and multiple roads have collapsed, cutting off land routes between the two cities. As a result, residents are relying solely on ferries to travel between Sagaing and Mandalay.
Additionally, the city’s entire fire department building has collapsed, further complicating any emergency response efforts.
