Myanmar-Thailand earthquake live updates: Death toll crosses 2,000 in Myanmar

The 7.7 magnitude earthquake rattled much of Southeast Asia on Friday.

ByMark Osborne, Jon Haworth, Meredith Deliso, David Brennan, Ivan Pereira, Kevin Shalvey, and Megan Forrester

Last Updated: March 31, 2025, 3:38 PM EDT

A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake rattled much of Southeast Asia on Friday, resulting in mounting casualties and flattened skyscrapers from Myanmar to Thailand.

The epicenter was in Mandalay, Myanmar, the country's second-largest city. Even Bangkok, some 600 miles away, felt widespread shaking and saw significant damage from the quake -- including the total collapse of a skyscraper under construction.

Map locator where earthquake hit in Myanmar, Mar. 28, 2025.
AP

Key Headlines

Mar 31, 2025, 3:38 PM EDT
IRC teams report unprecedented destruction
Mar 31, 2025, 1:22 PM EDT
International teams fill the void in US absence
Mar 31, 2025, 12:56 PM EDT
US Embassy in Myanmar announces $2 million to address humanitarian needs
Mar 31, 2025, 12:13 PM EDT
Myanmar death toll climbs to 2,056

Here's how the news is developing.

Mar 31, 12:28 pm

Death toll crosses 2,000

Rescue workers are seen working at the collapsed construction building in Chatuchak area during the night on March 28, 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Sirachai Arunrugstichai/Getty Images

Casualties are expected to rise as search and rescue efforts are underway in collapsed buildings in Myanmar and Thailand, officials said.

In Myanmar, the death toll has climbed to 2,056, with more than 3,900 people injured and 270 people reported missing, according to the Myanmar Military Junta.

In Bangkok, at least 13 people were killed in a building collapse in Chatuchak, according to the Bangkok Metro Authority.

Mar 31, 2025, 1:22 PM EDT

International teams fill the void in US absence

International teams including China and Russia have already been on the ground responding to the increasingly desperate situation in Myanmar, filling the void in the U.S. absence.

Rescue personnel operate following a strong earthquake, in Mandalay, Myanmar, March 31, 2025.
Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters

Chinese teams arrived 18 hours after the earthquake, with more than 400 Chinese personnel now on the ground. On Monday, they rescued four people from collapsed buildings in Mandalay.

Beijing has sent planes full of supplies, providing $14 million in aid. China also has multiple teams in Thailand.

Mao Ning, a spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, said on X: “China, a friend in need.”

-ABC News’ Britt Clennett

Mar 31, 2025, 12:56 PM EDT

US Embassy in Myanmar announces $2 million to address humanitarian needs

The U.S. Embassy in Myanmar has announced up to $2 million to address humanitarian needs in the aftermath of last week’s earthquake, calling it part of the United States’ “immediate response” to the disaster.

Additionally, a small U.S. Agency for International Development emergency response team has been deployed to assess the situation in Myanmar, but officials said that as of Monday morning, they had not yet been able to enter the country.

Officials at the State Department said discussions regarding a more extensive response to the earthquake are ongoing, including the possibility of sending a Disaster Assistance Response Team.

-ABC News’ Shannon K. Kingston

Mar 31, 2025, 12:13 PM EDT

Myanmar death toll climbs to 2,056

In Myanmar, the death toll has climbed to 2,056, with more than 3,900 people injured and 270 people reported missing, according to the Myanmar Military Junta.

Myanmar State TV announced that seven days of national mourning begin on Monday.

The United Nations Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop called for “all sides” in Myanmar to “allow for humanitarian relief and ensure that aid workers can operate in safety,” in a statement to U.N. reporters issued Monday.

“Continuing military operations in disaster-affected areas risks further loss of life and undermines the shared imperative to respond,” the statement added.

-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti and Ellie Kaufman

Mar 31, 2025, 11:57 AM EDT

2 more bodies recovered from collapsed building

Two more bodies were recovered from the collapsed building site in Bangkok as the search for survivors continues, according to the Bangkok Metro Authority.