The Sky Villa Condominium is among the buildings that were worst hit by Friday's quake
1 MIN READ
Rescue teams work to save residents trapped under the rubble of the destroyed Sky Villa Condominium development in Mandalay.
Rescue teams work to save residents trapped under the rubble of the destroyed Sky Villa Condominium development in Mandalay.
Mandalay, Myanmar: More than 90 people could be trapped inside the crushed remains of an apartment block in Mandalay in central Myanmar destroyed by a devastating earthquake, a Red Cross official told AFP on Saturday as rescuers worked to free the victims.
The Sky Villa Condominium development is among the buildings in Mandalay that were worst hit by Friday's 7.7-magnitude quake, with several of its 12 storeys pancaked one on top of the other.
Also In This Package
Earthquake toll in Myanmar jumps to 1,000 deadGlobal aid effort begins for Myanmar quake relief
Deadly earthquake forces Thai patients into sports hallState of emergency declared in Bangkok after earthquake
"Nine people are dead and 44 have been extracted alive," the Red Cross official at the scene told AFP, requesting anonymity.
"More than 90 people could be inside. We are still collecting data as people keep informing us they are looking for their missing family members."
The quake has killed more than 1,000 people in Myanmar but communications are badly disrupted and the true scale of the disaster is only beginning to emerge.
It is the country's biggest quake in decades and Mandalay, the second-largest city, with a population of over 1.7 million, has been badly hit.
The Sky Villa Condo's 12 storeys were reduced to six by the quake, the cracked pastel green walls of the upper floors perched on the crushed remains of the lower levels.
A women's body stuck out of the wreckage, her arm and hair hanging down.
Rescuers clambered over the ruins painstakingly removing pieces of rubble and wreckage by hand as they sought to open up passageways to those trapped inside.
Sign up for the Daily Briefing
Get the latest news and updates straight to your inbox