Myanmar Earthquake Shakes Residents: A Survivor’s Heartbreaking Story

The harrowing accounts from residents who lived through the terror and destruction caused by Friday’s (28.03.2025) 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar have left the world stunned. Both the main quake and the aftershocks that hit Myanmar and neighboring countries like Thailand and China resulted in massive material damage, leaving thousands in unimaginable grief. Over 1,660 people lost their lives. In Mandalay, locals recounted to Reuters the horror of watching their homes and properties crumble before their eyes. One resident, Htet Min Oo, managed to escape his collapsed home and rushed to save his two aunts; however, one did not survive. Many Muslims had gathered at a local mosque for prayer as Ramadan concluded over the weekend when tragedy struck the Muslim community during its holiest month. Several worshippers were trapped under the rubble of destroyed mosques. While some survived, many remain unaccounted for. A 39-year-old local described desperately trying to rescue a man trapped under the debris of a mosque but was forced to abandon him due to strong aftershocks. ‘I had to leave him behind,’ he said. Later, he returned to attempt another rescue, pulling four individuals out with his bare hands. Tragically, three were already dead, and one died in his arms. He noted that 10 people perished at the site, among 23 total deaths across three mosques in the village of Sule Kone, criticizing government authorities for not allowing upgrades.