Trump says US will help Myanmar recover from earthquake

The nature of assistance remains unclear after the president gutted Washington’s primary aid agency.

At least 144 people have been killed and hundreds injured in Myanmar after the quake. (AP pic)

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said today that the US will assist Myanmar as it seeks to recover from a massive earthquake that has killed well over 100 people, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported.

Trump said his officials have already been in contact with Myanmar’s military junta, describing the situation as “terrible”.

The nature of US assistance remains unclear as Trump has largely gutted Washington’s primary international aid agency, USAID.

To date, at least 144 people have been killed and hundreds injured in Myanmar, while at least six people died and 117 others were trapped or missing in Thailand after a skyscraper collapsed in Bangkok following the powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake, which struck Myanmar’s Sagaing region yesterday.

The first jolt was followed by a 6.4-magnitude aftershock 12 minutes later, according to the US Geological Survey.