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Burma Quake Deaths Toll Passes 1,600

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The State Department said the cuts to USAID have not affected the US’ ability to support disaster response.

The Burmese military junta said the death toll from Friday’s earthquake had risen above 1,600 as of March 29th.

Burma (also known as Myanmar) hit a magnitude 7.7 earthquake on Friday, causing widespread destruction, especially in Mandalay, where numerous buildings have collapsed.
The administration warned that numbers could increase even more as search and rescue operations continue. General Min Aung Fröning, the Burmese junta leader general, has since invited “any country or organization” to provide support, local media said.

Speaking to reporters in the oval office, President Donald Trump said Friday that his administration spoke to Burmese officials after a devastating earthquake.

“We’re going to support it. We’re already warning people,” Trump said. “It’s terrible what happened. We’re already talking to this country.”

Trump’s remarks on Friday allowed the federal court of appeals to continue to lead downsizing efforts at the US International Development Agency (USAID), which is responsible for managing foreign aid in the United States after the government’s Department of Efficiency (DOGE) suspending previous lower court injunctions.

Regime cuts against USAID have already forced the United Nations and non-governmental organisations to cut many Burma programs.

However, State Department spokesman Tammy Bruce told reporters Friday that cuts to USAID had no impact on the US ability to support disaster response.

“USAID maintains a team of disaster experts who are capable of responding in the event of a disaster,” she said. “These teams of experts provide immediate assistance, including food and safe drinking water, which are necessary to save lives in the aftermath of a disaster.”

Bruce said the administration will use local support and reporting requests to shape the response to the earthquake.

The earthquake also affected neighboring Thailand, which fixed the first 10 deaths to six on March 29th. Thai authorities have injured 22 people and 101 are still missing at a construction site in Bangkok.

US Geological Services (USGS) forecast modeling estimates that deaths in Burma could exceed 10,000, with the losses greater than the country’s gross domestic product value.

People will drive on bikes past the collapsed buildings of Mandalay after the earthquake in central Burma on March 28, 2025 (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

On March 28, 2025, I will drive on a motorcycle past the collapsed buildings in Mandalay after an earthquake in central Burma. STR/AFP via Getty Images

In Burma, the military government has declared states of emergency in six regions and states, including Mandalay and the capital Napidau.

At least five cities and towns are reporting collapsed buildings and fallen bridges, including those on the main highway between Mandalay and Yangon, Burma’s state newspaper reported on Saturday.

Burmese government spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun told the state-run MRTV TV channel on Friday that blood is in high demand at hospitals in Mandalay, Sagar and Naypyidaw.

Other countries to provide help

Other countries intervened to provide assistance to Burma following the earthquake. Russia’s Ministry of Emergency on Friday dispatched two planes carrying 120 rescuers and supplies, and India sent search and rescue teams to Burma. Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry said it would send 50 people on Sunday to identify the worst hit areas and provide assistance.

The UN said it has allocated $5 million to support life-saving efforts in Burma. Sheila Matthew of the United Nations World Food Programme said the disaster occurred “at the worst possible time,” exacerbating the humanitarian situation in Burma.
“With one in four people in the country already facing acute food insecurity, Myanmar cannot afford another disaster,” Matthew said in a statement on March 28th.
The country has been caught up in armed conflict with military-controlled opponents for four years since politicians kicked out Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in the February 2021 coup. According to the United Nations, more than 3.5 million people have been evacuated due to the fighting.

The Associated Press, Chris Summers and Reuters contributed to the report.



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