Survivor pulled from collapsed hotel as death toll nears 3,000
Naypyitaw, Myanmar – Rescue crews in Myanmar pulled a 26-year-old man alive from the rubble of a collapsed hotel in the capital early Wednesday, nearly 108 hours after a devastating earthquake rocked the country, killing thousands.
A miraculous rescue amid tragedy
Shirtless and covered in dust, Naing Lin Tun appeared weak but conscious in a video released by the local fire department. Rescuers, using an endoscopic camera to locate him, carefully extracted him through a hole jackhammered into the debris before loading him onto a gurney. He was fitted with an IV drip and swiftly transported for medical treatment.
State-run MRTV reported that the rescue effort, which took over nine hours, was carried out by a joint team of Turkish and local personnel in Naypyitaw.
A devastating toll
The powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar midday Friday, flattening thousands of buildings, collapsing bridges, and leaving roads buckled. Official figures from state television MRTV report at least 2,886 dead and 4,639 injured. However, local sources suggest the true toll could be significantly higher.
Impact beyond Myanmar
The earthquake’s tremors extended beyond Myanmar’s borders, shaking neighboring Thailand. In Bangkok, a high-rise under construction collapsed, killing at least 22 people and injuring 34, primarily at the construction site.
A country in crisis
Myanmar, already engulfed in a civil war, now faces an escalating humanitarian catastrophe. According to the United Nations, more than 3 million people were displaced, and nearly 20 million were in urgent need of aid even before the earthquake struck. The disaster has compounded the suffering, stretching already fragile relief efforts to the brink.
As search teams continue to comb through the wreckage, the race against time continues—both to find survivors and to bring critical aid to a country reeling from disaster.