Video: Myanmar earthquake survivors share harrowing experiences from under rubble
What's the story
A deadly 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar on Friday, killing over 2,000 people and causing massive destruction. Now, a video from survivors trapped beneath the rubble has emerged, depicting tragic images of two girls and their injured grandma. The family became stranded while attempting to flee their sixth-floor residence in Mandalay, which was close to the epicenter of the earthquake. They had fled to the emergency stairs when the building collapsed.
Survival story
Family's ordeal and miraculous survival
When the girls' father assumed they were dead, he took to social media to plead for help. But the family soon heard other survivors who were trapped under them. "They called out to each other from above and below, but there was no sound from the outside," their father posted on Facebook. After hours of despair, the girls took matters into their hands while waiting for rescuers to return with the necessary equipment.
Twitter Post
Video of trapped survivors
#WATCH: Videos show how a heart diseased 75-year-old grandmother and her 16- and 13-year-old grandchildren stayed strong for over 15 hours in the rubble of a #Mandalay condo that had collapsed during the #MyanmarEarthquake. The children's father told me he wanted to spread the… pic.twitter.com/DgnkTbqSBL
— Cape Diamond (@cape_diamond) March 30, 2025
Casualties
Death toll rises in Myanmar earthquake
The death toll from the powerful earthquake has now crossed 2,700, and thousands more are injured. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing announced that 2,719 people have been confirmed dead, 4,521 wounded, and 441 are still missing. These figures are expected to increase significantly as the quake affected a vast area and left many regions without power or cell service. Roads and bridges were also damaged, hampering a full assessment of the destruction.
Survivor accounts
Survivors share their harrowing experiences
In yet another heart-wrenching tale, two women were trapped for five hours under the rubble of their collapsed Mandalay hotel. "We were trapped in total darkness, but the good thing is we had a phone and we could use its light to see," one told CNN. The International Rescue Committee has flagged an urgent need for shelter, food, and water for survivors in Mandalay near the quake's epicenter.
Continued impact
Aftershocks and ongoing rescue efforts
The 7.7-magnitude quake that hit around lunchtime on Friday was the strongest to strike Myanmar in over a century. It toppled ancient pagodas and modern buildings alike. Satellite images have revealed the scale of devastation, including collapsed buildings and infrastructure. Meanwhile, India has sent supplies to set up a field hospital in Nay Pyi Taw under "Operation Brahma," while China has sent 135 rescue workers.