Woman rescued after 60 hours under rubble in Myanmar earthquake

(Web Desk): A woman trapped for nearly 60 hours under the rubble of a hotel in Mandalay has been pulled out alive, offering a rare moment of relief amid the devastation caused by Friday’s powerful earthquake in central Myanmar.

Rescue teams, many made up of volunteers working with limited equipment, have spent days searching through the ruins of collapsed buildings. The earthquake has killed more than 1,700 people in Myanmar and at least 18 in neighbouring Thailand.

The woman was rescued from the debris of the Great Wall Hotel after a five-hour operation early Monday, according to the Chinese embassy in Myanmar. She was reported to be in stable condition. Video footage showed onlookers clapping as she was carried away on a stretcher.

The earthquake struck as Myanmar faced widespread political and humanitarian crises. The military junta, which seized power in 2021, has requested international aid – a rare move from the isolated regime. China, Russia, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and the US have sent assistance.

The US pledged $2 million in aid through Myanmar-based humanitarian organisations and announced the deployment of an emergency response team via USAID.

Across the quake zone, rescuers continue to work in dangerous conditions. In Mandalay, workers attempting to free a pregnant woman trapped in an apartment complex were forced to amputate her leg. She later died. Dozens remain trapped in the 12-storey structure.

In Bangkok, Thailand, rescue efforts are under way at a collapsed 30-storey building where 76 workers are believed to be trapped.

Power and communication outages, along with damaged roads and bridges, have hampered efforts across central Myanmar. Many rescue workers have resorted to digging with their bare hands.

The US Geological Survey has warned that Myanmar’s death toll could exceed 10,000, with economic losses surpassing the country's annual output.

Despite the destruction, the military has continued airstrikes in areas like Sagaing, near the quake’s epicentre. Human rights groups have warned against channelling aid through the junta, urging donors to work with community-led networks or the National Unity Government.

“The junta is notorious for weaponising aid,” said Debbie Stothard, founder of Altsean-Burma. “Sending aid to the junta will only make things worse.”