In Naypyidaw, Myanmar’s capital, rows of injured individuals were seen outside the emergency department of a 1,000-bed hospital on Friday, as victims continued to arrive following a catastrophic 7.7-magnitude earthquake. Many were transported in vehicles, while others were brought in on stretchers, their bodies marked by dust and blood.
“This is a mass casualty area,” stated a hospital official, requesting that journalists maintain their distance.
The hospital itself sustained significant damage from the earthquake, which caused roads to buckle and tore apart the pavement. The emergency department was particularly hard hit, with a vehicle trapped under the collapsed entrance.
“Numerous injured individuals have been coming in. I have never witnessed anything like this before,” a doctor shared with AFP. “We are doing our best to manage the situation. I am utterly exhausted.”
Patients were heard groaning in pain, some lying still as family members offered comfort. Intravenous drips were attached to their arms, while others, disoriented and bloodied, sat with their heads in their hands. Security officials reported, “Hundreds of injured individuals are arriving… but the emergency building has also collapsed.”
Myanmar’s military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, visited the hospital to assess the condition of the wounded.
The powerful earthquake struck northwest of Sagaing, approximately 250 km from Naypyidaw, and was followed shortly by a 6.4-magnitude aftershock, further compounding the destruction.
