Chinese Rescuers Save Elderly Man Trapped 40 Hours in Myanmar Quake

On March 28, a severe earthquake struck Myanmar. As of the morning of March 30, the Myanmar Meteorological and Hydrological Department reported a total of 25 aftershocks, with magnitudes ranging from 7.5 to 2.8 on the Richter scale.

According to Myanmar’s State Administration Council, the disaster has resulted in 1,700 fatalities, 3,400 injuries, and approximately 300 missing persons as of the afternoon of March 30, local time.

Rescue teams from China have arrived in the affected areas with emergency equipment and supplies to assist in urgent search and rescue efforts. Authorities hope to save as many lives as possible within the critical “72-hour emergency window” following the earthquake.

At approximately 5 a.m. local time on March 30, after nearly five hours of rescue efforts, a 73-year-old man was successfully pulled from the rubble of a collapsed hospital in Naypyidaw. The operation was carried out by China’s Yunnan rescue and medical team in coordination with local rescuers. The elderly man had been trapped for nearly 40 hours before being rescued, marking the first successful extraction by the Yunnan team since their arrival in Myanmar.

Mu Shuyuan, leader of the China Railway Engineering Group Co., Ltd. (CREGC) Kunming rescue team, which participated in the operation at Naypyidaw Hospital, provided details in an interview with CMG News Radio on the morning of March 30.

“We arrived in Yangon, Myanmar, via a special flight at approximately 6:20 a.m. on March 29, Beijing time. After assessing the disaster situation in Yangon, we traveled by car to Naypyidaw to commence rescue operations,” Mu explained.

“At the request of the local government, we were deployed to a hospital in Naypyidaw. The three-story building had suffered a catastrophic collapse, with the first floor completely destroyed while parts of the second and third floors remained somewhat intact. We conducted a thorough search and rescue operation, including structural assessments and mapping out specific rescue zones.”

“During the search, we discovered an elderly man trapped inside. Our team immediately split into two groups—one to assess signs of life and the other to initiate the rescue. We employed a strategic approach, entering from above, moving westward, and exiting eastward. In tight spaces, we utilized wall-breaking techniques, drilling, and cross-passage creation. From midnight until just before dawn at 4:56 a.m., after nearly five hours of intense effort, we successfully rescued the man. Tragically, during the operation, we also recovered the bodies of two deceased individuals while breaking through the rubble.”

Mu noted that the next phase of rescue efforts will present significant challenges, including language barriers, high temperatures, and the risk of disease outbreaks in the disaster-stricken area.

“We will continue search and rescue operations at the hospital, where more than 30 people are reported to be trapped, with over 10 still unaccounted for. We are committed to working alongside local rescue teams to find survivors and inspect critical areas. Our efforts will involve strategic demolition and drilling to create access routes. If survivors are discovered elsewhere in Naypyidaw, or in situations requiring complex rescue efforts, we stand ready to respond immediately.”

“One of our major challenges is the language barrier, which makes communication with local rescuers and families difficult. Fortunately, the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar has provided interpreters to assist us. Another challenge is the extreme heat, which accelerates the decomposition of bodies, posing severe public health risks. Additionally, tropical diseases such as dengue fever, dysentery, and other infectious diseases present further obstacles.”

Rescue teams continue to work tirelessly under these conditions, with the hope of locating and saving as many survivors as possible.

Source: CGTN (Myanmar)