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Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 30134, member: 2262"] Rescuers believe fifteen people remain alive under the remains of a collapsed skyscraper in Bangkok following the massive earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand. Teams have detected signs of life and established communication with certain survivors trapped beneath the ten-story pile of wreckage. The search continues for numerous missing construction workers as rescue efforts enter day two. The powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Friday afternoon near Mandalay, Myanmar, causing deaths hundreds of miles from the epicenter and sending shockwaves through Thailand, China, and India. Myanmar faces terrible destruction across the Saigaing region and Mandalay area. Officials report over 1,000 deaths and 2,376 injuries as buildings crumbled and temple spires fell. Bangkok residents felt buildings sway and saw water splash out of swimming pools during the quake. City officials received around 2,000 reports about cracks appearing in structures throughout the capital. Most of Bangkok escaped serious damage except for one major casualty - the unfinished headquarters for the auditor-general's office stands as the main disaster site in Thailand. The once-impressive thirty-story blue glass and steel tower sits across from the popular Chatuchak market. What remains looks nothing like its former self - just twisted metal bars and broken concrete pieces towering over hundreds of rescue personnel working below. Official counts show eight dead, eight injured, and ninety-six missing from the original four hundred workers present when disaster struck. Many missing workers may come from Burma since numerous Burmese migrants work in Thai construction jobs. Rescue teams brought drones, dogs, cranes, and digging machines Friday night through Saturday morning to help find survivors. By midday Saturday, officials announced they had found at least fifteen people still alive somewhere five to ten meters from the top of the debris pile. The rescue faces serious challenges because the structure collapsed flat and continues shifting, making heavy equipment use dangerous. Some survivors made contact by shouting or making noise, and others were found through body heat or movement detection. One official pleaded, "We want to save them fast. Some life signs we heard last night have gone quiet. I ask all Thais to pray for their strength." Investigators have one week to determine why the building fell apart during the earthquake. Family members gathered at a registration area set up near the disaster site. Women sat worried in tents under the hot sun, occasionally breaking into tears. One woman named Naruemol cried about her husband, saying she desperately wanted to see him just once, regardless of his condition. Another man waiting for news about two missing cousins expressed little hope, stating he thought their survival chances seemed very small. Top government leaders promised to keep searching. Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnweerakul told reporters they would continue working around the clock until they found everyone, adding they always maintained hope. [/QUOTE]

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