The U Hla Thein Buddhist monastery in Mandalay was destroyed during the quake while an estimated 270 monks were taking an exam. According to The Associated Press, some 70 monks were able to escape. However, 50 were found dead and over a hundred more are still buried underneath the rubble.

In a censored nation that runs on rumor and omens, people in Myanmar wonder whether the latest disaster might be a portent of regime change.

Myanmar’s rebels declared a ceasefire in quake-hit areas to allow for aid to reach victims of the disaster as the death toll from the massive temblor rose to about 1,700. The guerrilla People’s Defence Force will pause offensive military operations for two weeks except for defensive actions,

The World Health Organization said that more than 10,000 buildings overall are known to have collapsed or been severely damaged in central and northwest Myanmar.

In Myanmar, state media said at least 1,700 people have been confirmed dead as of Sunday and that the military government had declared a week-long mourning period from Monday. The

The magnitude 7.7 quake Friday rocked an impoverished Southeast Asian nation already beleaguered by years of civil war.

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday causing mass destruction. More than 2,700 are dead and thousands more injured.

At least 2,719 people have been confirmed dead in the aftermath of Friday's massive 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar, a government official told local media on Tuesday. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said during a televised broadcast that another 4,