At least 21 deaths have been reported in Thailand. More than half came from the collapsed skyscraper, meant to house the country's State Audit Office.

The contractors of an under-construction tower that crashed in Bangkok during last week’s earthquake apparently used substandard steel bars made by a factory that had been shuttered by authorities.

Moments of levity pierce the sombre atmosphere as a team of golden retrievers, taking a break from their rescue efforts, bring smiles to the faces of the waiting relatives. The playful dogs offer a brief respite from the overwhelming grief.

Two rescue dogs in Thailand switched roles briefly on Wednesday to provide emotional support following five days spent sniffing for signs of life in a mountain of rubble left after a tower crumbled in last week's earthquake.

A major rebel alliance in Myanmar on Tuesday declared a unilateral ceasefire in its conflict with the ruling military to support an international humanitarian response to last week's devastating earthquake.

For most of the day, somberness clouds a makeshift shelter for grief-stricken relatives of dozens of workers still missing at the site of a building collapse in Bangkok

But Myanmar took the full force — and is far less well equipped to deal with the aftermath. The state’s capacity has been further eroded since the military toppled the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021.

The US has been unable to meaningfully respond to the Myanmar earthquake due to recent foreign aid cuts, according to three former senior US officials. One former US Agency for International Development (USAID) mission director for Myanmar told the BBC that "America has been on the sidelines" after the disaster.

Buildings in Myanmar are continuing to collapse five days after a powerful earthquake struck the country, creating perilous conditions for rescuers as they attempt to extricate survivors from the rubble.

The ruling junta has vowed to continue military operations that include airstrikes against rebel groups, even as aid organizations struggle to reach devastated areas.