The survivors of the lethal Myanmar-Thailand earthquake that killed over 1,000 recounted how they escaped dying whereas the constructions collapsed within the “blink of a watch”.
As they described the scenes of devastation, rescuers detailed the challenges of reaching these nonetheless trapped beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings.
The sequence of quakes, with 7.7 magnitude being the deadliest, brought on widespread destruction, toppling buildings, collapsing bridges, and damaging roads.
‘It is like a ruined metropolis’
Describing the “scenes of tragedy” in Myanmar’s Mandalay, a survivor instructed BBC, “It is like a ruined metropolis. Some are nonetheless caught beneath rubble. It was so extreme. So extreme that I’ve by no means seen something shaking like that.”
“It lasted round three to 4 minutes. I used to be receiving messages from associates and realising that it was not simply in Yangon, but additionally many locations throughout the nation,” one other survivor mentioned.
In Myanmar’s capital, Nay Pyi Taw, a rescuer mentioned that they tried to free an individual trapped inside a home however have been unable to take action. Later, they recovered a physique and rescued a critically injured particular person from a goldsmith’s store, the place store officers reported that 17 individuals remained trapped.
“We will solely discover individuals the place we will hear them,” the rescuer instructed.
‘Blink of a watch’
A building employee described his miraculous escape after a Bangkok skyscraper collapsed “within the blink of a watch”.
“When my shift ended round 1pm I went outdoors to get water and I noticed my youthful brother earlier than I went out,” building employee Khin Aung instructed AFP.
“After I went outdoors, I noticed mud in all places and I simply ran to flee from the collapsing constructing,” Aung added.
“I video-called my brother and associates however just one picked up the cellphone. However I am unable to see his face and I heard he was operating. At that time the entire constructing was shaking however whereas I used to be on a name with him, I misplaced the decision and the constructing collapsed,” Aung mentioned. “I am unable to describe how I really feel — it occurred within the blink of a watch,” he mentioned.
Whereas Chinatown remained unscathed, the scenario in Chatuchak was far worse. A 30-story constructing beneath building collapsed, leaving fears of mass casualties.
“I used to be truly in Chinatown, which is one other place to buy. Abruptly, the ground began transferring, so I used to be wanting down, after which everyone began screaming, panicking, and everyone tried to exit the market in these little slender passages. We have been all fairly scared, operating, screaming, pushing to get out of the constructing. Nothing occurred in that market in Chinatown. However as we will see right here in Chatuchak, it was a unique story… I am not too positive what constructing that was. It was beneath building and, I suppose, 30-storey excessive. We noticed the images of the collapse, so I am positive there’s lots of people beneath this rubble..,” a vacationer John mentioned.
Authorities estimate that as much as 100 employees might be trapped beneath the particles of the collapsed tower, now diminished to rubble and twisted steel. At the least 5 fatalities have been confirmed, however the dying toll is anticipated to climb.
As rescue groups combed by the wreckage, members of the family gathered on the website of the 30-story tower, which crumbled to the bottom in mere seconds on Friday.
