Myanmar quake death toll passes 1,000

The death toll from a 7.7 magnitude earthquake that hit Myanmar has climbed to 1,002, state-run MRTV said on Saturday.

The increase in known deaths, which previously had been 694 according to the military government, was reported as International aid began to arrive in the Southeast Asian nation and as rescuers searched for survivors, Reuters reported.

MRTV said 2,376 people were injured and 30 were missing in the wake of the disaster.

“Infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and buildings were affected, leading to casualties and injuries among civilians. Search and rescue operations are currently being carried out in the affected areas,” the junta said in a statement issued on state media.

The junta leader, General Min Aung Hlaing, had warned on Friday of more deaths and injuries as he invited “any country” to provide help and donations.

A Chinese rescue team arrived on Saturday while Russia and the U.S. offered aid in the disaster, which struck at lunchtime on Friday and damaged hundreds of buildings in neighboring Thailand.

The United States Geological Survey's predictive modeling estimated the death toll could exceed 10,000 people in Myanmar, and that losses could be greater than the value of the country’s gross domestic product.