Tears, prayers in search for monks trapped by Myanmar quake

Tragic aftermath of Myanmar earthquake at U Hla Thein monastery, with monks trapped and families hoping for miracles.

Covered in dust and resembling a Buddhist statue, the face of a dead monk emerges from the rubble of a religious examination hall in Mandalay flattened by Myanmar’s devastating earthquake.

A rescue worker gently brushes some of the grey powder off the face before covering it respectfully with a fan.

Under another concrete slab, flies crawl over a shaven head matted with blood.

The rotting odour of death permeated the air above the remains of the U Hla Thein monastery on Sunday, 48 hours after the shallow 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck, destroying buildings across the central Myanmar city.

More than 180 monks were taking the third session of a six-day exam for a senior level of monkhood when the tremors hit around 12:50 p.m. (0620 GMT) on Friday (March 28, 2025).

A picture shows them sitting on pink plastic chairs at individual desks in the cavernous hall, heads diligently bent over their papers as they worked.

An unknown number were able to escape as the three levels of one part of the building slammed down, one on top of another.