The United Nations has said more than 500 people are feared dead after reports of two large shipwrecks off Myanmar since late June.

The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) and its refugee agency UNHCR voiced alarm in a joint statement at reports “that two boats carrying more than 500 people may have capsized off the coast of Myanmar in recent days”.

Preliminary information indicated that the two vessels in question departed from war-torn Myanmar’s Rakhine state in late June, with mainly members of the country’s mostly Muslim Rohingya minority onboard, the statement said.

Some had reportedly travelled from the huge camps in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar, where more than million Rohingya refugees live in squalid conditions.

According to UNHCR, nearly 900 Rohingya refugees were reported missing or dead at sea in the northern Indian Ocean last year alone – out of more than 6,500 who had attempted such perilous sea crossings.

Rohingya undertake perilous sea journeys every year in search of better living conditions, travelling aboard rickety boats often operated by trafficking networks.

The statement said one boat, believed to have been carrying about 250 people, lost contact shortly after departure.

A second boat, reportedly carrying about 280 people, is meanwhile believed to have sunk off Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady coast on 8 July.

“While the incidents and casualty figures have yet to be officially confirmed, UNHCR and IOM are gravely concerned by the potentially devastating loss of life,” the statement said.

The UN agencies highlighted that the journeys “took place outside the regular sailing season, when maritime conditions are typically more hazardous”.

“Recent torrential rain and flooding across the region have further increased the risks associated with such sea movements.”

The statement cautioned that “if verified, this tragedy would add to the nearly 300 people reported to be missing or to have lost their lives in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal so far this year, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals”.

Thursday’s statement stressed that the latest reported tragedies “underscore the devastating impact of protracted conflict and displacement, as well as the continued lack of sustainable solutions for Rohingya communities”.

“Escalating conflict and a worsening humanitarian situation in Myanmar, along with limited assistance and opportunities in refugee camps in Bangladesh, contribute to increasing numbers of people attempting perilous sea journeys in search of safety and protection,” they pointed out.

“The reported incidents also highlight the persistent risks posed by smuggling and trafficking networks, which continue to exploit the desperation of people seeking safety,” they added.

IOM and UNHCR called for “enhanced search and rescue efforts, access to asylum and protection, and actions against smuggling and trafficking networks”.

The agencies hailed Bangladesh for its “remarkable generosity in hosting Rohingya refugees for many years”, but stressed the need for “sustained international support” for the refugees and host communities, as well as “greater efforts to address the underlying drivers of forced displacement”. (The Guardian)

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A United States diplomat has been found dead in Myanmar’s largest city, according to the US Department of State, and three members of the diplomatic community in Yangon say a Thai woman has been detained by police in connection with the investigation.

The US State Department confirmed to the Associated Press news agency on Wednesday that a US diplomat serving at the US Embassy in Yangon had died. The department did not provide further details about the circumstances surrounding the person’s death or its cause.

“Out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones, we have no further information to provide at this time,” it said.

According to three people in the diplomatic community in Myanmar, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the case, Myanmar police are treating the death as a possible murder.

They said the person was found dead two weeks ago at a hotel about 1.5 kilometres (one mile) from the US Embassy.

The facility, with long-term rentals, is popular with diplomats, business people and other international visitors.

Myanmar police have not publicly commented on the case.

Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said it has provided consular assistance to the woman in custody and notified her family, but would not comment further.

Situation in Myanmar.

Myanmar is in the midst of a civil war that began more than five years ago when the country’s democratically elected government was overthrown in a military coup.

The military leadership that now governs Myanmar is estimated to control just 21 percent of the country after years of fighting against ethnic armed groups and pro-democracy forces.

More than 96,000 people have been killed, according to the international monitor the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED). At least 3.6 million have been displaced, according to the United Nations. 

In April, former leader Aung San Suu Kyi was moved to house arrest after President Min Aung Hlaing pardoned and commuted the sentences of thousands of prisoners. Suu Kyi, age 80, still has 13 years of detention remaining. (Al Jazeera)

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Twenty-five Sri Lankan nationals who had been trafficked to cybercrime centers in Myawaddy, Myanmar, were repatriated to Sri Lanka on Dec. 16, 2025.

The repatriation had been facilitated by the Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Bangkok, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism of Sri Lanka, and the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Myanmar.

The Foreign Ministry in a statement said that the operation was carried out through close collaboration between Sri Lankan authorities with the active support of relevant authorities in Thailand.

Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Thailand, Wijayanthi Edirisinghe, together with officials of the Embassy, engaged with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Social Development, National Security Council, Tak Province and Immigration authorities of Thailand to facilitate necessary clearances and ensure the orderly
return of the rescued nationals.

The Mission conveyed its appreciation to the Governments of Thailand and Myanmar for their cooperation and assistance in this humanitarian undertaking and also acknowledges the support extended by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Thailand and Sri Lanka and International Non-Government Organizations based in Mae Sot area in Thailand, for extending assistance with international air travel and other logistical arrangements. (Newswire)

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Myanmar’s military has raided a major online scam operation near the border with Thailand, detaining more than 2,000 people and seizing dozens of Starlink satellite internet terminals, state media has reported.

According to a report in Monday’s Myanma Alinn newspaper, Myanmar’s army raided KK Park, a well-documented cybercrime centre, as part of operations starting in early September to suppress online fraud, illegal gambling, and cross-border cybercrime.

It published photos displaying seized Starlink equipment and soldiers said to be carrying out the raid, though it was unclear when exactly they were taken.

The army ascertained that more than 260 buildings were unregistered, and seized equipment, including 30 sets of Starlink satellite internet terminals, the newspaper reported. It said 2,198 individuals were detained, though it did not give their nationalities.

Myanmar is notorious for hosting scam operations responsible for defrauding people all over the world. These usually involve gaining victims’ confidence online with romantic ploys and bogus investment pitches.

The centres are infamous for recruiting workers from other countries under false pretences, promising them legitimate jobs and then holding them captive and forcing them to carry out criminal activities.

Scam operations were in the international spotlight last week when the United States and Britain enacted sanctions against the alleged organisers of a major Cambodian cyberscam gang, and its alleged ringleader was indicted by a federal court in New York.

KK Park is located on the outskirts of Myawaddy, a major trading town on the border with Thailand in Myanmar’s Kayin state. The area is only loosely under the control of Myanmar’s military government, and also falls under the influence of ethnic minority militias.

There have been previous crackdowns on cyberscam operations in Myanmar earlier this year and in 2023.

Pressure from China saw Thailand and Myanmar launch an operation in February in which they released thousands of trafficked people from scam compounds, working with the ethnic armed groups that rule Myanmar’s border areas. (AP/ The Guardian)

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A Myanmar military strike on a festival event and protest killed 40 people, including children, an attendee, and a local committee member said on October 7.

Myanmar has been reeling from civil war since the military seized power in a 2021 coup, prompting pro-democracy rebels to take up arms and ally with ethnic armed groups against the junta.

Hundreds of people were gathered in central Myanmar’s Chaung U township for the Thadingyut full moon festival on Oct. 6 evening when the military dropped bombs on the crowd, according to a member of the committee that organized the event.

The woman, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said people were gathering for the festival and an anti-junta demonstration at around 7:00 pm when the bombs killed more than 40 people and wounded about 80 others.

“The committee alerted people and one-third of the crowd managed to flee,” she said. “But immediately, one motor-powered paraglider flew right over the crowd, dropping two bombs on the centre of the gathering.

“Children were completely torn apart,” said the woman, who was not at the scene but attended funerals on October 7.

When another motorized paraglider flying overhead left the area, she said people rushed to help the wounded.

“As of this morning, we were still collecting body parts from the ground — pieces of flesh, limbs, parts of bodies that were blown apart,” she added.

A resident of Chaung U who attended the event confirmed the estimated toll, saying people attempted to run when they realized the paramotor was flying overhead.

“While I was saying to people, ‘please don’t run,’ the paramotor dropped two bombs,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“Two of my comrades were killed just in front of me. There were even more who died in front of me.”

He said he attended funerals on October 7 for nine friends who were killed.

A local media outlet also said 40 people were killed in the attack.

A junta spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment late on October 7.

‘Brutal campaign’

Human rights watchdog Amnesty International said in a statement that the nighttime attack “should serve as a gruesome wake-up call that civilians in Myanmar need urgent protection.”

The attack showed the military was “intensifying an already brutal campaign against pockets of resistance,” the London-based organization said.

“The international community may have forgotten about the conflict in Myanmar, but the Myanmar military is taking advantage of reduced scrutiny to carry out war crimes with impunity,” said Joe Freeman, Amnesty’s Myanmar researcher.

He called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc to increase pressure on the Myanmar junta as ASEAN officials prepare for a meeting later this month.

The junta has touted elections beginning on December 28 as a path to reconciliation.

But a UN expert has dismissed the vote as a “fraud” to disguise continuing military rule, and rebels have vowed to block it.

The military is now besieging rebel enclaves, aiming to expand territorial control ahead of the polls. (AFP)

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The remaining fifteen (15) Sri Lankans, who had been forcibly employed in cybercrime centres in Myawaddy, Myanmar, after being trafficked, were rescued today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment said. 

According to the ministry, the rescue was facilitated by the Thai government in coordination with Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Sri Lankan Embassy in Thailand.

The group had been handed over to the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Thailand, Vijayanthi Edirisinghe, by Thai officials this morning. 

The rescue was initiated following continuous discussions between Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment Vijitha Herath, Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa, and Myanmar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, U Than Swe.

Previously, 14 Sri Lankans stranded at the Myanmar Cybercamp were rescued on 18 March 2025, and 27 Sri Lankans on 17 December 2024.

In December 2023, it was reported that a group of 56 Sri Lankans had been brought to Thailand for jobs related to the IT Industry and instead had been held captive at a camp in the Cyber Criminal area operated by a terrorist group in Myanmar.

Reports at the time revealed that the group of Sri Lankans were being subjected to inhumane treatment by the terrorist group, with the terrorists demanding up to US$ 8000 per person for their release. 

Continuous efforts by the Governments of Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand saw the group being rescued in batches since 2023. (Newswire)

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India continues its humanitarian outreach to Myanmar under Operation Brahma after last month’s quake, dispatching 20 pre-fabricated office structures weighing around 50 tonnes to Naypyidaw via Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft on Tuesday.

As the first responder to the devastating quake on March 28, India has provided over 750 MT of relief material, including medical aid, food, shelters, and essential supplies.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a press release on Wednesday said, “As part of the ongoing supply of relief material and humanitarian aid to Myanmar under ‘Op. Brahma,’ components of 20 pre-fabricated offices, weighing approx 50 tonnes, were dispatched by IAF C-17 on 15 April 2025 to Myanmar. The structures will be used as temporary offices for various Ministries in Naypyidaw. Two IAF C-17 were deployed to bring back doctors and personnel of 60-para field hospital post de-induction. The 200-bedded field hospital has successfully provided treatment of 2519 patients over the past two weeks.”

The release added, “Under Op Brahma, India was the First Responder to the earthquake in Myanmar on March 28 and has provided relief supplies of approx. 750 MT including essential medicines, foodgrain, ready to eat meals, tents, blankets, gensets, rapidly deployable surgical and medical shelters, water sanitation and hygiene services, drinking water, essential clothing, 20 prefabricated office/residential structures etc.”

Further, humanitarian assistance consisting of an 80-member NDRF Heavy Urban Search and Rescue Specialists Team and a 127-member Indian Army field Hospital Team were also deployed.

The supply of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief material to Myanmar demonstrates India’s willingness to stand with the people of Myanmar and to continue to support them through this difficult time.

Operation Brahma has been India’s dedicated humanitarian outreach to Myanmar in the wake of the disaster. As part of this initiative, India has also extended aid to the Indian diaspora in the Yangon region. (ANI)

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In a gesture of solidarity, India delivered 442 tonnes of food aid to Myanmar on Friday, as part of its ongoing humanitarian response following the devastating earthquake that struck the country last month.

The consignment, comprising rice, cooking oil, noodles and biscuits, was transported aboard the Indian Navy’s landing ship tank INS Gharial and handed over at Thilawa Port by Ambassador Abhay Thakur to Yangon Chief Minister U Soe Thein and his team.

The official page for the Indian Embassy in Myanmar posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Meeting needs of affected people. A large 442 T consignment of food aid (rice, cooking oil, noodles & biscuits) carried by the Indian Navy landing ship tank INS Gharial arrived today at Thilawa Port & was handed over by Ambassador Abhay Thakur to CM Yangon U Soe Thein & team.”

The aid is part of Operation Brahma — India’s comprehensive relief mission launched after the 7.7-magnitude earthquake on March 28, which left thousands dead and widespread damage across Myanmar. The country continues to grapple with the aftermath, and India, acting swiftly as the first responder, has taken a lead role in supporting rescue, relief, and recovery efforts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met Myanmar’s Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday. During the meeting, PM Modi expressed India’s continued support and readiness to provide further material assistance if needed. He also emphasised the need for early restoration of democracy through credible elections, according to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

As part of Operation Brahma, India has so far delivered a total of 625 metric tonnes of humanitarian relief materials, including the latest consignment. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), with 80 personnel and four specially trained canines, has been deployed on the ground, equipped for rescue operations. Additionally, the Indian Army has set up a field hospital to provide essential medical care to the injured and displaced. (ANI)

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Sri Lanka’s Sri Dalada Maligawa and the Malwathu-Asgiri temples have donated Rs.15 million in financial assistance to support those affected by the recent earthquake in Myanmar.

On Wednesday (02 Apr), the Chief Incumbent of the Asgiriya Chapter, the Anunayake Theros of the Malwathu and Asgiriya Chapters, along with committee members and the Maha Sangha, gathered near the Sacred Tooth Relic to chant Pirith and offer blessings.

According to a statement from the Sri Dalada Maligawa, this ceremony was held to honour the lives lost in the disaster and to pray for the well-being and recovery of the people of Myanmar.

“Sri Lanka shares a long-standing and close relationship with Myanmar, a nation with a deep-rooted Theravada Buddhist tradition. In a reaffirmation of this bond, the Sri Dalada Maligawa and the Malwathu-Asgiri temples have donated 15 million rupees in financial assistance to support those affected by the recent natural disaster in Myanmar,” the statement said.

The donation was officially handed over to the Ambassador of Myanmar in Sri Lanka by the Most Venerable Mahanayake Thero of the Asgiriya Chapter and the Honorable Diyawadana Nilame of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. (Newswire)

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Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa visited the Myanmar and Thailand embassies in Colombo today to express his sorrow and condolences over the devastating earthquake that recently struck both countries. 

The disaster has resulted in significant property damage and numerous casualties.

During his visit, MP Premadasa met with the ambassadors and diplomatic staff of Myanmar and Thailand to personally convey his sympathies. 

He further affirmed that Sri Lanka would extend its fullest possible support to both nations during this difficult time. 

A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, with strong tremors being felt in Thailand and nearby Chinese provinces.

More than 2,000 people are now confirmed dead in Myanmar, while experts fear the true death toll could take weeks to emerge. (Newswire)

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Minister of Health Nalinda Jayatissa says a Sri Lankan medical team is on standby to be dispatched for relief efforts in Myanmar, which was struck by a powerful earthquake on Friday. 

Speaking to the media, Minister Jayatissa said that the medical team consists of Sri Lankan medical specialists and nursing staff.

He further said that essential medicines and medical equipment have also been prepared to be dispatched along with the medical team. 

“The medical team is ready and prepared for departure. The Sri Lankan Mission in Myanmar has been informed of this via the Foreign Ministry. The Sri Lankan Mission has requested to keep the medical team on standby, and that it will inform when the need arises,” he said. 

The Health Minister said the medical team will be dispatched the moment they receive word from the Sri Lankan Mission in Myanmar. 

He further expressed the Government of Sri Lanka’s condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the earthquake. 

It is reported that rescuers are desperately searching for survivors more than three days after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, toppling buildings as far away as the Thai capital Bangkok and sending tremors through nearby Chinese provinces.

According to CNN, more than 2,000 people are now confirmed dead in Myanmar after what was the largest earthquake to hit the war-ravaged country in more than a century, while experts fear the true death toll could take weeks to emerge. (Newswire)

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Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has called on the Sri Lankan government to provide humanitarian assistance to Myanmar.

Wickremesinghe’s comments come after two powerful earthquakes devastated central Myanmar on Friday, disrupting health services and putting thousands at risk of life-threatening injuries and disease outbreaks.

Issuing a statement, Wickremesinghe highlighted the historic and religious ties between the two countries, particularly through Theravada Buddhism. He noted that the Amarapura and Ramanna sects have strong links with Myanmar.

Referring to Sri Lanka’s response to the 2015 Nepal earthquake, Wickremesinghe said the country sent a military team for emergency operations and was the second-largest aid contributor after India.

“Sri Lanka must act. My proposal is to deploy members of the military’s medical corps to establish a temporary hospital in Myanmar,” he said, adding that the Sri Lanka could also send medical supplies if needed.

Wickremesinghe also cited historical support from Myanmar during the Chola invasions, recalling that King Anawrahta of Bagan had sent aid to King Vijayabahu of Sri Lanka. “If these areas with historic links to Sri Lanka are in need of assistance, we must look into these too,” Wickremesinghe said. 

He urged the government to take similar action as during his tenure, when funds were raised to support Gaza. (Newswire)

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Rescuers freed four people from collapsed buildings in Myanmar on Monday, Chinese media reported, offering some hope three days after a massive earthquake that killed around 2,000 as searchers in Myanmar and Thailand raced to find more survivors.

Among those rescued from the rubble in Mandalay in the early hours of Monday were a pregnant woman and a girl, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Mandalay is near the epicentre of the 7.7-magnitude earthquake on Friday that wreaked mass devastation in Myanmar and caused damage and deaths in neighbouring Thailand.

China, India and Thailand are among Myanmar’s neighbours that have sent relief materials and teams, along with aid and personnel from Malaysia, Singapore and Russia.

“It doesn’t matter how long we work. The most important thing is that we can bring hope to the local people,” said Yue Xin, head of the first detachment of the China Search and Rescue Team, Xinhua reported.

In Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, emergency crews using cranes and dog sniffers on Monday continued a desperate search for 76 people believed buried under the rubble of an under-construction skyscraper that collapsed.

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said rescuers are not giving up despite the conventional-wisdom three-day window for finding people alive fast approaching.

“The search will continue even after 72 hours because in Turkey, people who have been trapped for a week have survived. The search has not been cancelled,” Chadchart said.

He said machine scans of the rubble indicated there may still be people alive underneath, and dog sniffers are being dispatched to try to pinpoint their locations.

“We’ve detected weak life signs and there are many spots,” he said.

Thailand’s official death toll was at 18 on Sunday, but could shoot up without more rescues at the collapsed building site.

In Myanmar, state media said at least 1,700 people have been confirmed dead as of Sunday. The Wall Street Journal, citing the ruling military junta, reported the death toll had reached 2,028 in Myanmar. Reuters could not immediately confirm the new death toll. The United Nations said it was rushing relief supplies to survivors in central Myanmar.

“Our teams in Mandalay are joining efforts to scale up the humanitarian response despite going through the trauma themselves,” said Noriko Takagi, the U.N. refugee agency’s representative in Myanmar. “Time is of the essence as Myanmar needs global solidarity and support through this immense devastation.”

The United States pledged $2 million in aid “through Myanmar-based humanitarian assistance organizations”. It said in a statement that an emergency response team from USAID, which is undergoing massive cuts under the Trump administration, is deploying to Myanmar.

The quake devastation has piled more misery on Myanmar, already in chaos from a civil war that grew out of a nationwide uprising after a 2021 military coup ousted the elected government of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. (First Post)

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The death toll from a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar jumped to over 1,000 on Saturday as more bodies were pulled from the rubble of the scores of buildings that collapsed when it struck near the country’s second-largest city.

The country’s military-led government said in a statement that 1,002 people have now been found dead and another 2,376 injured, with 30 others missing. The statement suggested the numbers could still rise, saying “detailed figures are still being collected.”

Myanmar is in the throes of a prolonged and bloody civil war, which is already responsible for a massive humanitarian crisis. It makes movement around the country both difficult and dangerous, complicating relief efforts and raising fears that the death toll could still rise precipitously.

The earthquake struck midday Friday with an epicenter not far from Mandalay, followed by several aftershocks including one measuring a strong 6.4 magnitude. It sent buildings in many areas toppling to the ground, buckled roads, caused bridges to collapse and burst a dam.

In neighboring Thailand, the quake rocked the greater Bangkok area, home to some 17 million people — many of whom live in high-rise buildings — and other parts of the country.

Bangkok city authorities said so far six people have been found dead, 26 injured and 47 are still missing, most from a construction site near the capital’s popular Chatuchak market.

When the quake hit, the 33-story high-rise being built by a Chinese firm for the Thai government wobbled, then came crashing to the ground in a massive plume of dust that sent people screaming and fleeing from the scene.

On Saturday, more heavy equipment was brought in to move the tons of rubble, but hope was fading among friends and family members of the missing that they would be found alive.

Myanmar’s government said blood was in high demand in the hardest-hit areas. In a country where prior governments sometimes have been slow to accept foreign aid, Min Aung Hlaing said Myanmar was ready to accept assistance.

A 37-member team from the Chinese province of Yunnan reached the city of Yangon early Saturday with earthquake detectors, drones and other supplies, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

Russia’s emergencies ministry dispatched two planes carrying 120 rescuers and supplies, according to a report from the Russian state news agency Tass.

India sent a search and rescue team and a medical team as well as provisions, while Malaysia’s foreign ministry said the country will send 50 people on Sunday to help identify and provide aid to the worst-hit areas.

The United Nations allocated $5 million to start relief efforts. President Donald Trump said Friday that the U.S. was going to help with the response, but some experts were concerned about this effort given his administration’s deep cuts in foreign assistance.

The Trump administration’s cuts to the United States Agency for International Development have already forced the United Nations and non-governmental organization to cut many programs in Myanmar. (AP)

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Following an earthquake of 7.4 magnitude in Myanmar that caused tremors in Bangkok and other parts of Thailand, the Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Bangkok said it is closely monitoring the situation in coordination with Thai authorities.

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry stated that the Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka says no adverse incidents involving Sri Lankan citizens have been reported as of now.

Sri Lankan nationals in Thailand are advised to contact the emergency hotline at +66 812498011 in case of emergency. (Newswire)

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Magnitude 7.7 and 6.4 earthquakes have struck Myanmar, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), with reports of strong tremors felt in Thailand and elsewhere in the region.

The first tremor hit 16 kilometres (10 miles) northwest of the city of Sagaing at a depth of 10 kilometres at about 12:50 pm local time (06:20 GMT) on Friday, USGS said.

Meanwhile, the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) said the jolt measured magnitude 7.9, according to the Xinhua news agency, with a social media post by CENC saying “tremors were felt in Yunnan”.

The AFP news agency reported from Myanmar’s capital, Naypyidaw the,at roads were buckled by the force of the tremors and chunks of ceilings fell from buildings.

In neighbouring Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, startled residents poured out of high-rise buildings. Witnesses there said the tremors were forceful enough to send water sloshing out of pools.

There are reports of people being stuck under the rubble of a collapsed building under construction in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok.

Some metro and light rail services were suspended in Bangkok.

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Friday she had interrupted an official visit to the southern island of Phuket to hold an “urgent meeting” after a powerful earthquake, according to a post on X. (Al Jazeera)

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Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath spoke today with Thailand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maris Sangiampongsa, regarding Thailand’s assistance in rescuing and safely repatriating trafficked Sri Lankans.

During a telephone conversation with Thailand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister Herath also reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation with Thailand.

Minister Herath highlighted the significance of diplomatic relations between the two countries and expressed Sri Lanka’s continued support for Thailand’s BIMSTEC Chairmanship ahead of the BIMSTEC Summit scheduled for April this year. 

He also expressed appreciation for Thailand’s ongoing support in rescuing and repatriating Sri Lankans trafficked to cybercrime centres in the Myawaddy area of Myanmar. 

Since 2023, Thailand has facilitated the safe return of 58 Sri Lankans who were forcibly detained by human trafficking syndicates. 

Minister Herath urged Thailand’s urgent cooperation to expedite the rescue and repatriation of the remaining 18 Sri Lankans, who are reportedly facing torture and mistreatment in these centres. 

The Foreign Minister of Thailand assured assistance to Sri Lanka in the endeavour to rescue the remaining trafficked Sri Lankans. 

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it will continue efforts to secure the rescue and repatriation of the remaining Sri Lankans in Myawaddy, with the support of the Thai and Myanmar governments.

Meanwhile, more than 250 people from 20 nationalities, including one Sri Lankan, who had been working in telecom fraud centres in Myanmar’s Karen State were released by an ethnic armed group and brought to Thailand.

According to the Thai Defence Ministry, the rescued foreigners were brought under its protection on Wednesday at a crossing point on the border with Myanmar. (Newswire)

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All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) Leader MP Rishad Bathiudeen has urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to reconsider the decision to forcibly return the group of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar currently seeking asylum in Sri Lanka.

In a letter addressed to the President, MP Bathiudeen said Sri Lanka must adhere to international humanitarian principles and consider the well-being of these individuals who have fled persecution in their homeland. 

He further advised that it would be appropriate to collaborate with the United Nations to identify a suitable third country where these refugees can resettle, with their consent, once it is deemed safe for them.

MP Rishad Bathiudeen’s letter to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake,

Your Excellency,

This is to inform you with grave concern regarding the decision to repatriate the Rohingya refugees currently seeking asylum in Sri Lanka. It is my firm belief that we must adhere to international humanitarian principles and consider the well-being of these individuals who have fled persecution in their homeland.

The Rohingya people, as you are aware, have sought refuge in our country due to severe violence and oppression in Myanmar. They have come to Sri Lanka not as economic migrants, but out of genuine fear for their lives. The international community, including the United Nations, recognizes the plight of these individuals, and it is incumbent upon us as a nation that values human rights and dignity to offer them protection during their time of vulnerability.

We must ensure that our actions align with international laws and conventions on refugees, which emphasize the principle of non-refoulement – the prohibition of sending individuals back to places where they face threats to their lives or freedom. By upholding this principle, Sri Lanka will not only protect the rights of these vulnerable individuals but also demonstrate its commitment to international humanitarian standards.

Historically, Sri Lanka has been a land of refuge for those fleeing persecution. Many Sri Lankans have themselves lived as refugees in other countries during times of conflict. It is critical to remember that the current situation of the Rohingya refugees mirrors the struggles we have faced as a nation in the past. In light of this, I urge you to reconsider the decision to forcibly return these people to Myanmar, where their safety and human rights are still at risk.

I kindly request that these refugees be treated with respect and dignity while they remain in Sri Lanka. They should not be treated as prisoners but as people in need of our compassion and support. Furthermore, it would be appropriate to collaborate with the United Nations to identify a suitable third country where these refugees can resettle, with their consent, once it is deemed safe for them. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Navy has detected a boat carrying a large number of persons off the coast of Mullaitivu today.

Navy Media Spokesman Captain Gayan Wickramasinghe told Newswire that the boat had been detected in Sri Lankan waters.

Sri Lanka Navy boats have been dispatched to inspect the boat, while the identities and origin of the people on the boat are yet to be ascertained.

Captain Gayan Wickramasinghe said investigations are currently underway by Sri Lanka Navy boats which are currently inspecting the boat to find out why it had entered Sri Lankan waters.

However, media reports state the boat was carrying 103 persons, who were refugees from Myanmar. (Newswire)

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Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya has requested the Thailand Government’s assistance to rescue Sri Lankans still detained in cybercrime camps in Myanmar’s Myawaddy region.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, PM Amarasuriya requested the Thai government’s assistance, with the rescue being facilitated by the Myanmar government and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

PM Harini Amarasuriya made this request during a discussion held with the Thai Ambassador, Paitoon Mahapannaporn, at the Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday (Oct 10).

She expressed her gratitude for the assistance provided by the Government of Thailand in rescuing 28 Sri Lankans from cybercrime camps and requested continued support to rescue the 40 Sri Lankans still detained in the cybercrime camps.

Expressing his warm congratulations to the Prime Minister on her appointment, Ambassador Paitoon Mahapannaporn talks about strengthening the bilateral relationship between Sri Lanka and Thailand, the development of the tourism industry, the use of modern agricultural technology, joint research of post-harvest technology and food processing by the Faculties of Agriculture of the Universities of Ruhuna and Wayamba.

Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri, senior officials of the Thai Embassy Prangtip Kongridhisuksakorn and Thom Petchpugdepong participated in these discussions. 

Director General Sasikala Premawardena and Director of the South East Asia Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Thilini Ihalage were also present on this occasion. (Newswire)

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