Earthquake compounds Myanmar’s humanitarian crisis as the death toll passes 1,700

By David Rising

The massive earthquake in Myanmar killed several hundred Muslims praying at mosques during the holy month of Ramadan and 270 Buddhist monks crushed by a collapsing monastery, rescuers and an activist group said Monday as the overall death toll passed 1,700.

The quake could exacerbate hunger and disease outbreaks in a country that was already one of the world’s most challenging places for humanitarian organizations to operate because of civil war, aid groups and the United Nations warned.

With access difficult, the true death toll is unknown.

The 7.7 magnitude quake hit Friday, with the epicenter near Myanmar’s second-largest city of Mandalay. It damaged the city’s airport, buckled roads and collapsed hundreds of buildings along a wide swath down the country’s center.

Relief efforts are further hampered by power outages, fuel shortages and spotty communications. A lack of heavy machinery has slowed search-and-rescue operations, forcing many to search for survivors by