“At this stage, more bodies are being found than survivors,” Thar Nge shared with Al Jazeera, noting that rescue teams from Mandalay only arrived in Sagaing on Sunday due to the collapse of the Yadanabon Bridge, which spans the Irrawaddy River.
The magnitude 7.7 earthquake that devastated Myanmar on Friday resulted in at least 1,700 fatalities and over 3,400 injuries, and these preliminary tolls will likely increase.
“Rescue teams couldn’t reach us immediately because a bridge collapsed. That’s why they just arrived today,” stated Thar Nge, expressing despair over the lack of survivors, including his own son.
Thar Nge mentioned the widespread loss of loved ones in Sagaing.
So far, around 90 bodies have been recovered compared to 36 rescued individuals.
“Many individuals, including monks and nuns in Sagaing, are trapped under buildings, including temples and nunneries,” Thar Nge noted.
“The focus is now shifting from rescuing the living to retrieving and burying the dead,” he concluded.
The pervasive stench of decomposing bodies is evident in Sagaing.
In Mandalay, the lack of specialized equipment has left rescue efforts in a state where workers and relatives are resorting to manual efforts to uncover survivors.
Conditions are harsh, with damaged infrastructure, power outages, and extreme heat, reaching up to 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit).
