Almost twenty-four hours later of the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that shook central Myanmar, There were only 144 confirmed victims. They were from a hospital that had collapsed. It wasn't until the following day that the military junta made the first toll public: 1,644 dead, 2,389 injured and 30 missing. This Tuesday, after two days without updated data, the death toll rose to 2,719 dead, 4,521 wounded, and 400 missing, according to Chinese television station CCTV, which cited sources from the military government. These silences are not accidental: they are the hallmark of the systematic opacity of the Burmese regime, which controls information with an iron fist. But they also reflect the weakness of the military junta, which, amid growing chaos, faces a major challenge: demonstrating that it is in control of the country.

Nearly four days after the devastating earthquake that struck Myanmar, efforts to rescue survivors from under the rubble continue, although the window of opportunity is shrinking. Friday's 7.7 magnitude earthquake, with its epicenter just 10 kilometers deep, continues to produce aftershocks—around 170 as of Sunday, according to the Thai Meteorological Service—and the difficult access to the worst-hit areas and power, internet, and telephone outages are complicating rescue efforts and impeding rescue efforts.

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, according to US emergency services. Authorities in the country, a military junta that has been waging a civil war since its coup d'état four years ago, has not reported any damage or injuries. But the earthquake was even heard in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, where hundreds of people fled buildings amid panic, according to Reuters. A building under construction collapsed in the Thai capital, leaving 43 workers trapped in the rubble.

Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other politicians have been arrested early this morning in a coup by the army, which has transferred power to General Min Aung Hlaing and declared a state of emergency, according to military television. Suu Kyi, 75, issued a statement in which she called on the people "not to accept it and unconditionally take to the streets to protest against the military's coup". The coup comes after months of tensions between civilians and the military, who did not recognise the result of the November elections and accuse Suu Kyi of fraud.