Satellite Images Show Before and After Myanmar Earthquake Devastation

Satellite images show collapsed buildings in Myanmar following the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck the country on Friday.

Why It Matters

The earthquake hit Myanmar and Thailand with an epicenter near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second largest city, followed shortly by another 6.4 magnitude quake and a 5.1 magnitude aftershock early Sunday morning.

The ongoing civil war in the country has increased the difficulty in rescue and recovery efforts.

What To Know

Initial reports described buildings toppled and casualties unknown, with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) warning that between 10,000 and 100,000 people could have died. As of Saturday, the confirmed death toll was reported as over 1,600 people and an additional 3,400 injured, according to The Associated Press.

Images provided by Planet Labs PBC show an overview of a temple complex and the surrounding area of the city along the banks of the Irrawaddy River. The images show the before (left) and after (right) of the city.

Satellite image of Mandalay, Myanmar, before and after the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that hit the city on March 28.

Planet Labs PBC

President Donald Trump on Friday offered U.S. support for the recovery effort, even as critics warn that his administration’s cuts to foreign aid could impede the response.

Locals continue to search through collapsed buildings and rubble, trying to find and rescue survivors.

Many of Mandalay’s 1.5 million residents were forced to spend the night on the streets, with some left homeless, while others feared ongoing aftershocks that could collapse already weakened structures.

Thailand has reported at least 17 people dead as a result of the quake, with rescuers in Bangkok searching for 83 missing people, including those trapped beneath the rubble of a partially constructed skyscraper. The greater Bangkok area is home to more than 17 million people, many of whom live in high-rise apartments.

Freelance journalist Thomas van Linge posted footage to X, formerly Twitter, showing cracks in the ground following the quake.

Meanwhile, in Amarapura, a township in Mandalay city, a rescue worker said he was trying to reach 140 monks still trapped under rubble.

Several countries have deployed rescue teams to Myanmar after the country’s military government made a rare plea for help.

A Chinese team was the first international rescue group to reach Myanmar’s biggest city Yangon on Saturday morning, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

What People Are Saying

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) on Saturday: “High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread.”

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a statement: “The earthquake compounds an already dire humanitarian situation in Myanmar, where nearly 20 million people need assistance across the country, including more than 3.5 million people displaced from their homes.

President Donald Trump said in the Oval Office Friday: “We’re going to be helping. It’s terrible what’s happening. We’ve already spoken with the country.”