The death toll from the March 28 earthquake in central Myanmar has risen to 2,886, according to a statement from the military junta.
As of 8 AM today, official reports indicate 2,886 deaths, 4,639 injuries, and 373 people still missing.
Rescue teams working in the hardest-hit areas of Sagaing and Mandalay have reported extreme difficulties in retrieving bodies, many of which are severely decomposed. Volunteers involved in recovery operations have shared distressing accounts on social media.
“The bodies are decomposing so badly that parts come off when we pull them out. Some are missing limbs. The stench is overwhelming. We urgently need body bags and gloves,” wrote a rescue worker from Sagaing.
Residents in Mandalay have also reported a growing foul smell near collapsed buildings that have yet to be cleared. Some fear that if recovery efforts are not expedited, serious health hazards could arise.
“If you walk past the collapsed structures, you can smell the stench. There are likely bodies trapped underneath,” a Mandalay resident remarked.
