Myanmar-Thailand 7.7 magnitude earthquake: Death toll climbs above 1600

Australia has joined the global aid effort after the devastating quake in Myanmar and Thailand, as Aussie witnesses tell of the terrifying moment disaster struck. Follow the updates.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says his heart goes out to those affected by the devastating earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand.

Australia has joined the global aid effort in the wake of the catastrophe, pledging $2 million in support.

“This a is a human tragedy and my heart goes out to everyone affected by this tragedy, but also my hearts goes out to the many Australians who have relatives and friends who are impacted by this,” Mr Albanese told reporters in Canberra.

“We have already approved $2 million on support, on aid for this. We will continue to monitor the situation.

“Australia always helps out, we’re good neighbours in this region and we will always do what we can.”

It came as the death toll from the disaster rose to 1,644, with 3,408 people injured.

Rescuers and survivors are digging through the rubble of collapsed buildings, some with their bare hands, in a desperate search for loved ones.

The quake destroyed buildings, downed bridges, and buckled roads across swathes of Myanmar, with massive destruction seen in Mandalay, the country’s second biggest city and home to more than 1.7 million people.

Rescuers search for survivors trapped in the collapsed Sky Villa Condominium building in Mandalay. Picture: AFP

Across the border in Bangkok, rescuers are continuing to search for survivors trapped when a 30-storey skyscraper under construction collapsed near Chatuchak weekend market.

Analysis from the United States Geological Survey said there was a 35 per cent chance that possible fatalities could be in the range of 10,000-100,000 people.

Thai rescue workers remove a body that was recovered from the construction building collapse in Bangkok’s Chatuchak area. Picture: Getty Images

The USGS offered a similar likelihood that the financial damage could total tens of thousands of millions of dollars, warning that it might exceed the GDP of Myanmar.

Weak infrastructure will complicate relief efforts in the isolated, military-ruled state, where rescue services and the healthcare system have already been ravaged by four years of civil war sparked by a military coup in 2021.

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Originally published as Myanmar-Thailand 7.7 magnitude earthquake: Death toll climbs above 1600