Blanar Expresses Sympathy with Families of Earthquake Victims in Myanmar

Bratislava/Naypyitaw, March 29 (TASR) - Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) on Saturday expressed his condolences to the families of the victims of the massive earthquake that hit Myanmar and Thailand on Friday, according to a statement published by the Foreign Affairs Ministry on a social network. "Slovakia is expressing its sympathies to the families of the victims of the tragic natural disaster that claimed human lives, injured people and caused extensive material damage in Myanmar and Thailand. At this difficult time, our thoughts are with the citizens of the two countries. We express our solidarity with them and wish speedy recovery to the injured ones," wrote Blanar. The earthquake struck midday Friday with an epicentre not far from Myanmar's second largest city of Mandalay, followed by several aftershocks, including one measuring 6.4. It sent buildings in many areas toppling to the ground, buckled roads, caused bridges to collapse and burst a dam. The Myanmar military-led government said that 1,002 people have been found dead and another 2,376 injured, suggesting that the numbers could still rise. In Thailand, the quake rocked the greater Bangkok area, where a 30-storey skyscraper under construction collapsed. Bangkok reported six fatalities, 26 injured so far, while dozens are still missing. ko