USGS: A very strong 7.0 magnitude earthquake has struck Marquette County killing 59 people and coursing damages to major roads

Breaking News: A very strong 7.0 magnitude earthquake has struck Marquette County killing 59 people and coursing damages to major roads

More than 1,600 people have died in Myanmar as a result of the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that shook Southeast Asia on Friday and decimated structures throughout the region, including buildings, bridges, homes and commercial facilities.

The death toll in Myanmar rose from about 140 people to the reported 1,600, and this number could increase as authorities continue to search through rubble for survivors. According to predictive modeling by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the death toll could even reach as high as 10,000 people.

“High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread,” according to the USGS.

Htet Min Oo told Reuters that a group of residents dragged him out from under a collapsed wall in Mandalay. When the 25-year-old tried looking through the rubble for his grandmother and uncle, he did not find them and eventually gave up searching, he added.

“I don’t know if they are still alive under the debris,” a teary-eyed Min Oo said, per Reuters. “After so long, I don’t think there’s any hope.”

Htet Min Oo told Reuters that a group of residents dragged him out from under a collapsed wall in Mandalay. When the 25-year-old tried looking through the rubble for his grandmother and uncle, he did not find them and eventually gave up searching, he added.

“I don’t know if they are still alive under the debris,” a teary-eyed Min Oo said, per Reuters. “After so long, I don’t think there’s any hope.”