Myanmar struggles to reach quake victims

THABEIKKYIN (MYANMAR): Rescuers in Myanmar struggled today to help villagers hit by an earthquake that aid agencies said killed at least 13, injured dozens and caused a bridge and mine to collapse.

A series of powerful aftershocks rattled nerves after Sunday's 6.8-magnitude quake, which sent terrified people running from homes and hotels in the country's second-biggest city of Mandalay and surrounding villages.

Authorities said they were providing help to victims, including those without shelter after more than one hundred homes were damaged, but that communication problems made it difficult to assess the scale of the destruction.

An AFP team in the town of Thabeikkyin saw significant damage in the area, which is near the epicentre of the earthquake and has been cut off from mobile phone contact.

Patients at the local hospital were being treated in tents outside amid fears buildings could be vulnerable to further tremors.

"We decided not to keep the people inside the hospital building as the quakes have been coming continuously," said a local official, asking not to be named.

He said three people from the area had died in the quake, including two children who drowned after the riverbank they were working on collapsed. It was unclear whether the deaths were included in official tallies.

Villagers in other settlements north of Mandalay told AFP earlier they had yet to see rescue teams following the quake.

"I have never felt such a big earthquake in my life. Everybody is terrified," said Win Tint, the head of Khu Lel village near Sint Ku township.

Some 40 buildings in the village were damaged and residents had been forced into temporary shelters set up in the fields. "The situation is quite bad. No rescue team has arrived here so far," he said.

Myanmar evening news carried a message of condolence to the victims from President Thein Sein.

"The government will strive to do its best in its relief and resettlement efforts in the area," the announcement said.

The report on state-run television showed images of residents holding their belongings on the darkened streets of one affected area, with loud speaker broadcasts from local authorities telling them not to enter their homes in case of further quakes.

Following the initial jolt, which was felt as far away as the Thai capital Bangkok, the US Geological Survey recorded two further strong quakes of 5.8 and 5.6-magnitude.

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2012/11/13/myanmar-struggles-to-reach-quake-victims-3/