Quake death toll in Myanmar tops 1,600 and expected to rise as rescue work slowed by damage and war

Emergency rescue teams on Sunday began trickling into the area of Myanmar hardest hit by a massive earthquake that killed more than 1,600 people. Their efforts are hindered by buckled roads, downed bridges, spotty communications and the challenges of operating in a country in the midst of a civil war. The 7.7 magnitude quake hit midday Friday with an epicenter near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, bringing down scores of buildings and damaging other infrastructure like the city’s airport. Many of Mandalay’s 1.5 million people spent the night sleeping on the streets, either left homeless or fearing aftershocks. Emergency rescue teams on Sunday began trickling into the area of Myanmar hardest hit by a massive earthquake that killed more than 1,600 people. Their efforts are hindered by buckled roads, downed bridges, spotty communications and the challenges of operating in a country in the midst of a civil war. The 7.7 magnitude quake hit midday Friday with an epicenter near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, bringing down scores of buildings and damaging other infrastructure like the city’s airport. Many of Mandalay’s 1.5 million people spent the night sleeping on the streets, either left homeless or fearing aftershocks.  AP Technology and Science