A rescue team member from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government uses a drone to survey the rubble and search for survivors in Mandalay, Myanmar on March 31, 2025. Photo: VCG

Myanmar on Monday declared a week-long mourning period following a 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck the country on Friday, which has left more than 2,000 people dead and around 3,900 injured as of press time on Monday. 

Myanmar's State Administration Council Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on Monday announced the mourning period. In recognition of and sympathy for the damage and loss of lives caused by the earthquake, the period from March 31 to April 6 has been declared as national mourning days. During this time, the national flag will be flown at half-mast, he said, according to the Xinhua News Agency. 

The death toll has risen to 2,056, with approximately 3,900 people injured and nearly 270 reported missing, according to the country's State Administration Council Information Team on Monday, per Xinhua. 

As of 6 pm on Monday Beijing Time, three Chinese citizens were confirmed dead and 14 other injured were receiving medical treatment after the earthquake in Myanmar, according to the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar. 

Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Ma Jia told the Global Times on Monday that the Chinese Embassy and Consulates in Myanmar are currently assisting the bereaved in handling follow-up matters. 

We will make all-out efforts to provide consular protection and assistance, keep the emergency hotline open, and promptly share medical assistance information with those in need. No matter how far you are from home, the motherland is always with you. The Embassy will always be a warm and reliable home for Chinese citizens in Myanmar, said Ma. 

A friend in need

On Monday noon, China's first batch of emergency humanitarian earthquake relief supplies to Myanmar arrived at Yangon International Airport. In response to a request from the Myanmar government, China has decided to provide Myanmar with 100 million yuan ($13.9 million) in emergency humanitarian aid to support earthquake relief efforts, the Global Times has learned. 

According to the China International Development Cooperation Agency, the initial supplies include 1,200 tents, 8,000 blankets and more than 40,000 first aid kits. 

When witnessing the arrival of the first batch of emergency humanitarian earthquake relief supplies at the airport, Ambassador Ma told media that following Friday's earthquake, as Myanmar's friendly neighbor and "Paukphaw" friend, China shared the feelings of the Myanmar people and responded immediately.

Southwest China's Yunnan Province has provided 5 million yuan worth of relief supplies, which are being delivered to the affected areas in batches. Yunnan's Dehong Prefecture has also dispatched 1.1 million yuan worth of emergency materials, including tents, medicines, folding beds, quilts, instant noodles, and other essentials, according to the Chinese ambassador.

So far, chambers of commerce representing Chinese enterprises and local Chinese businesses in Myanmar have donated 1 billion Myanmar kyat in cash and 1.5 billion kyat worth of relief materials, Ma said, noting that China will continue to provide aid based on Myanmar's needs in the next stage of relief efforts.

Wu Yutong, chairperson of the Heilongjiang Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar, led a team of 17 members from Yangon to Mandalay on Monday, bringing relief supplies such as food, drinking water, and masks.

"The earthquake has left local residents with limited access to essential supplies. We want to do what we can to support the local community," Wu told the Global Times.

As of Monday, the Chinese government has dispatched four official rescue teams to assist in the earthquake relief efforts in Myanmar, including the China Search and Rescue Team, the China International Search and Rescue Team, a rescue team from China's Yunnan Province, and a rescue team from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, with a total of 288 personnel, according to a release from the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar on Monday.

In addition, the Red Cross Society of China and at least 15 civilian rescue teams from various places across China have also arrived in Myanmar to join the rescue operations, according to the release.

Around 11 pm on Sunday, a 118-member force from the China International Search and Rescue Team, consisting of earthquake experts, structural engineers, search and rescue personnel, and medical staff aboard two Y-20 transport aircraft, arrived in Myanmar's capital, Nay Pyi Taw, according to the release.

The team, carrying six search and rescue dogs, two rescue vehicles, 634 sets of rescue equipment and supplies, and medical supplies, would proceed to the disaster-stricken areas to conduct emergency relief operations.

Chinese rescuers have rescued six survivors in Myanmar as of 8 am local time on Monday. Among the six survivors, four of them were saved by the China Search and Rescue Team in the hard-hit Mandalay city, including three adult females and a girl. 

Besides, a rescue team from China's Yunnan Province rescued an elderly man who had been trapped for nearly 40 hours under the rubble of a hospital in Nay Pyi Taw on Sunday. Also on Sunday, members of the Blue Sky Rescue Team from Hunan Province successfully rescued a survivor at the Mandalay Buddhist Hall in Mandalay. 

China's swift, substantial, and compassionate response to Myanmar earthquake  embodies the deep-rooted "Paukphaw" friendship between the two countries, Ma said. 

China's approach to neighborhood diplomacy is defined by amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness. When our neighbors are in need, we see it as our responsibility to step forward and extend a helping hand. This not only reflects China's sense of duty as a major country but also serves as a vivid example of building a community with a shared future for mankind, said Ma.

Current challenges 

Responding to the immediate health needs of the thousands of people injured in the strong earthquakes that rocked Myanmar, the World Health Organization (WHO) has provided nearly 3 tons of medical supplies to hospitals in the worst hit Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay, according to a WHO release on Sunday. 

"There is currently a shortage of drinking water and electricity. Many of the damaged buildings remain uncleared, and a foul smell has begun to spread in some areas, raising concerns over potential outbreaks of infectious diseases if not properly addressed," Cheng Wei, a Chinese citizen who runs a hotel in Mandalay, told the Global Times. 

About 20 people are currently sheltering at Cheng's hotel. During the day, they rest in shaded spots nearby; at night, they sleep in an open space across the street, part of a small bar owned by an overseas Chinese, who has also been providing free meals. The hotel has access to groundwater, which is pumped up and boiled before drinking, according to Cheng. 

Currently, aftershocks continue to occur in Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw, and other areas. Communications, transportation, and power supply have been disrupted in many places, and infrastructure has been severely damaged. The hot weather has also added to the difficulties of the rescue efforts, Ambassador Ma said on Monday.

However, we believe that our professional rescue teams will overcome these challenges and carry out the relief work to the best of their ability, Ma said, noting that the Chinese Embassy will continue to closely monitor the disaster situation and the progress of rescue operations, do its utmost to assist fellow Chinese in Myanmar, support the efforts of all rescue teams, and expedite coordination to deliver aid to Myanmar.