YANGON, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The devastating earthquake in Myanmar has claimed 1,002 lives, left 2,376 injured, and 30 people reported missing, according to the Information Team of the country's State Administration Council (SAC) in a report at around 11:20 a.m. local time Saturday.
Rescue and relief efforts are currently underway in the earthquake-affected regions of Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, the northeastern part of Shan State and Nay Pyi Taw, the report said.
SAC chairman Min Aung Hlaing emphasized the urgency of swift rescue efforts, ensuring the injured are promptly transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
He also stressed the importance of addressing safety concerns by clearing buildings damaged by the quake and providing essential services such as water, food and accommodations for the victims, it added.
A 7.7-magnitude quake struck approximately 20 km northeast of Mandalay at 12:51 p.m. local time on Friday. The epicenter, with a depth of 10 km, was at 22.09 degrees north latitude and 96.23 degrees east longitude.■