“Myanmar Earthquake Tragedy: Hundreds of Worshippers Killed as Mosques Collapse in Sagaing”

“A fatal earthquake in Sagaing, Myanmar, has resulted in hundreds of worshippers dead as mosques collapsed on Friday prayers. Survivors are in mourning while rescue operations are ongoing amidst political turmoil.

Sagaing, Myanmar – The call to prayer had hardly finished last Friday when a strong earthquake hit the center of Myanmar and levelled three mosques in Sagaing into dust and killed almost everyone inside. One of them was the Myoma Mosque, the biggest mosque in the region, where dozens of believers had assembled for their final Friday prayers in Ramadan, only days before Eid.

The quake, which was registered at 12:51 local time (06:21 GMT), was experienced as far away as Thailand. Soe Nay Oo, a former imam of Myoma Mosque, who now lives in Mae Sot, was one of those who experienced  the shock. Several days later, he was given the devastating news that about 170 of his relatives, friends, and former congregation members were killed, many during prayer. The catastrophic earthquake, which has killed more than 2,700 people in Myanmar, has left an irreparable mark on Sagaing‘s tight-knit Muslim community.

A Community in Mourning

Witnesses reported scenes of devastation on Myoma Street, one of the most devastated areas. Many houses fell along with the mosques, leaving hundreds homeless and fighting for food. Survivors, too scared to go back to their wrecked homes, have taken refuge along the roadside, struggling with aftershocks and running low on supplies.

The effect on the Muslim community of Myanmar has been devastating, with around 500 worshippers having died in mosques throughout the country. The rescue operation is continuing, but the increasing death toll and the enormity of devastation have overwhelmed many to the point of breakdown.

Among the deceased were prominent figures of the community: religious figures, school principals, and entrepreneurs. Soe Nay Oo, in an interview with the BBC, listed irreplaceable losses his late assistant imam, a close friend and an esteemed businessman, and a principle who was widely known for generosity. The grief, he affirmed, is incomprehensible. “I feel devastated… it always comes to my mind, the memories I cherish of them.”

Survivors Struggle with Loss, Displacement

The tragedy has been aggravated by political instability in Myanmar. Struggle between the military junta and rebels has made rescue more difficult. Muslim cemetery in Sagaing, just a short distance from rebel-held land, remains off-limits. As such, families have been forced to ferry their deceased loved ones to Mandalay to be buried, against Islamic law which mandates burial within 24 hours.

For others, this additional hardship is too much to bear. “For Muslims, it is the saddest thing, that we cannot bury our families by ourselves at the end of their journey,” Soe Nay Oo bemoaned.

Though physically far away, he has been working round the clock to organize aid and rescue operations from Thailand. As he assists in guiding relief to the needy, he grapples with his own survivor‘s guilt and grief. “If I were still the imam, I would have gone with them,” he confessed, his voice cracking. “Now I can‘t go back. It‘s painful to think about.”

The Road Ahead

With at least 1,000 Muslims affected and countless others still in dire need of aid, the path to recovery remains uncertain. As the community grapples with immense loss, survivors are doing what they can—pulling loved ones from the rubble, comforting the bereaved, and holding onto their faith.

As the world looks on, Sagaing‘s Muslims are left to weep and rebuild, hoping that the dead will be remembered as martyrs, and that the survivors will find the strength to move on.