The death toll from the recent earthquake in Myanmar has risen to over 3,000, with reports indicating that approximately 3,085 people have perished as of Thursday, according to the country’s military government. The 7.7-magnitude quake, one of the most powerful to strike the country in the last century, occurred on Friday near Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city. Officials reported that an additional 4,715 people were injured, and 341 remain missing. The earthquake has wreaked havoc across a region home to 28 million people, flattening buildings, demolishing roads, and crippling infrastructure, often already weakened by ongoing civil unrest and conflict. The impact has necessitated urgent relief efforts, yet reports suggest that access to affected areas remains hampered due to ongoing military operations and infrastructural damage. Recent forecasts of unseasonal rain from Sunday to April 11 pose an additional challenge for rescue operations. Aid workers have expressed concerns that this could significantly complicate search efforts and worsen living conditions for those displaced. An aid worker noted, "As rain is incoming, the chances for those trapped who have survived until now are diminishing," highlighting the dire circumstances confronting rescue teams. In response to the disaster, international assistance has begun to mobilize, with over 1,900 rescue workers arriving from 15 countries, including neighboring nations and powers such as China and India. However, the United Nations and various humanitarian organizations have urged the military junta for unrestricted access to aid areas, emphasizing the need for a coordinated response. As the military and various rebel groups navigate a fragile ceasefire to facilitate relief efforts, there remains significant skepticism about the junta's ability to effectively manage the disaster response due to ongoing internal and external pressures. The junta's history of blocking humanitarian aid complicates trust and cooperation amongst various factions. Meanwhile, in neighboring Thailand, the earthquake also took a toll, with 22 confirmed deaths and continuing efforts to locate 72 individuals missing from a collapsed skyscraper in Bangkok. "We hope that a miracle will happen," city officials stated in a recent update, illustrating the somber hope prevalent in the ongoing rescue endeavors. As efforts continue in Myanmar and Thailand, the response to the earthquake is evolving, shaped by both the immediate humanitarian needs and the broader context of political and military strife in the region.