Desperate Search for Monks Under Collapsed Mandalay Temple After Quake
Mandalay, Myanmar – Rescue teams in Myanmar are in a race against time to locate over 100 monks trapped beneath the rubble of a collapsed building within the Mahamuni Pagoda in Mandalay after the devastating earthquake on March 29, 2025.
High-Level Response to Crisis
The Irrawaddy News reported that the situation remains critical, with increasing concerns for the trapped monks as the hours pass.
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC), has traveled from Naypyidaw to Mandalay to oversee relief operations. He convened emergency meetings with local government officials to coordinate and accelerate rescue efforts.
Intensifying Rescue Efforts
Rescue teams are working under immense pressure, navigating the unstable debris to locate survivors. The Mahamuni Pagoda, one of Myanmar’s most revered Buddhist sites, suffered severe structural damage, making the search and rescue efforts even more challenging.
Authorities remain hopeful but acknowledge that the window for survival is closing. Emergency responders, volunteers, and heavy machinery are being deployed to clear the rubble and retrieve survivors as swiftly as possible.
