80 per cent of post-quake building clearance completed in Myanmar's Mandalay

Yangon, May 4 (IANS) The clearance of buildings damaged by the massive earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28 is approximately 80 per cent complete in Mandalay and about 50 per cent complete in Sagaing, state media reported on Sunday.

In Mandalay, major roads affected by the earthquake have been cleared of debris to prevent obstacles and ensure the safety of commuters, state-owned daily The Global New Light of Myanmar reported, citing the Myanmar Fire Brigade Headquarters.

Meanwhile, in Sagaing, cleanup operations continue with the use of heavy machinery to remove debris from large structures, including Buddhist learning centres and religious buildings located on higher ground, reports Xinhua news agency, citing The Global New Light of Myanmar.

These efforts have so far resulted in a 50 per cent completion rate, the report added.

As of Tuesday, 52 people have been rescued, and 103 bodies have been recovered from the collapsed Sky Villa condo in Mandalay region, local media had reported.

The Myanmar Rescue Team, Mandalay Region Fire Services Department, and the Mandalay Region government personnel have been carrying out rescue and clearance operations since March 28 at the collapsed site of Sky Villa, it added.

The earthquake has caused the deaths of 3,759 people and injuries to 5,107 others, with 114 individuals still reported missing nationwide as of Tuesday, according to Global New Light of Myanmar.

Meanwhile, atotal of 653 survivors have been rescued by emergency teams following the 7.7-magnitude earthquake, the state-owned daily Myanma Alinn reported on Friday.

Both local and international rescue teams carried out search and rescue operations. They were also able to retrieve 779 bodies as of Thursday, the report added.

Myanmar has experienced a total of 157 aftershocks following the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake on March 28.

The aftershocks ranged from magnitude 2.8 to 7.5, the department said.

--IANS

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