K-9 units help in search, rescue ops in Bangkok following magnitude 7.7 quake

The search and rescue operations continue in Bangkok, Thailand after a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck neighboring Myanmar.

According to Unang Balita's report on Wednesday, among those assisting in the search efforts are several specially trained K-9s, including Tiny, Nuan, Safari, and Kualek, who are part of Thailand’s K-9 Urban Search and Rescue team.

These skilled dogs are crucial in locating survivors amid the rubble.

On Friday, a shallow 7.7-magnitude tremor hit northwest of the city of Sagaing, central Myanmar, and was followed minutes later by a 6.4-magnitude aftershock, toppling buildings, rupturing roads, and collapsing the well-known Ava bridge.

The quake was felt in Thailand, and a 30-storey building under construction collapsed in Bangkok. Fourteen deaths have been confirmed at the site. An estimated 70 bodies were still under the rubble and experts said 12 had been located using scanners, but access was blocked by large debris, Reuters reported Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Myanmar’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing said the death toll has nearly reached 3,000 due to the powerful earthquake. Over 4,000 individuals have been injured, and more than 400 people remain missing.

In response to the disaster, the Philippines, along with other countries, has dispatched search and rescue teams and humanitarian aid to Myanmar to aid in the ongoing relief efforts.

The first team from the Philippines arrived Tuesday in Myanmar while the second one was deployed on Wednesday. 

Meanwhile, four Filipinos were still unaccounted for in Myanmar. —Sherylin Untalan/KG, GMA Integrated News