A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, triggering widespread devastation and panic across the region. As buildings collapsed and tremors were felt in neighbouring countries, a harrowing video from a hospital in China’s Yunnan province captured two nurses risking their lives to protect newborn babies.
The CCTV footage from the Jingcheng Hospital’s maternity center, shows the nurses in a ward filled with cradles when the tremors began.
As the violent shaking caused the wheeled bassinets to roll uncontrollably, one nurse, seated on the floor with a baby in her arms, instinctively grabbed a crib to prevent it from being flung across the room. Another nurse rushed to steady two swaying cribs. Both of them struggled to balance as a water filter tipped over, spilling water all around them.
The earthquake, which struck northwest of Sagaing, Myanmar, has claimed at least 1,700 lives and left more than 3,400 injured.
Myanmar’s historic and religious sites suffered severe damage in the quake, with pagodas and minarets toppling, Buddhist monasteries and mosques collapsing, and centuries-old monuments—once popular tourist attractions—reduced to rubble.
Tremors were felt across Thailand, China, India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh, damaging infrastructure and trapping thousands under debris. In Thailand, emergency teams are working to rescue workers stuck in a collapsed structure in Bangkok.
Another 5.1-magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay on Saturday, adding to a string of aftershocks that have shaken central Myanmar. Relief efforts are struggling due to a severe shortage of medical supplies, including trauma kits, blood bags, and anesthetics.
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India has launched Operation Brahma to aid Myanmar, with the Ministry of External Affairs confirming the deployment of humanitarian assistance, medical teams, and relief supplies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured full support for the affected regions.
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