The death toll from the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar nearly a week ago has surpassed 3,000, the junta government confirmed on Thursday, as search and rescue teams continued to recover bodies.

In an official statement, the military government reported that approximately 4,715 people have been injured, while 341 individuals remain missing. The powerful earthquake, one of the strongest in Myanmar’s history, caused widespread destruction, leveling buildings and damaging critical infrastructure.

The quake’s epicenter was in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city. It led to the collapse of thousands of structures, blocked roads, and destroyed bridges across multiple regions, severely hampering rescue operations.

Local media reports suggest that the actual death toll could be significantly higher than official estimates. Communication blackouts have made it difficult to assess the full scale of devastation, raising fears that casualties may continue to rise.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military seized power from Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected government in February 2021, sparking a civil war. The ongoing conflict had already plunged the country into a humanitarian crisis, with a United Nations report indicating that over 3 million people were displaced and nearly 20 million required urgent aid even before the earthquake struck.

In a surprise move on Wednesday, the Myanmar military announced a temporary ceasefire to facilitate relief efforts after the disaster claimed at least 3,085 lives.