A team of about 30 experts from China is currently in Myanmar to assess the aftermath of the 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck the country last month.
The team, including professionals from the China Earthquake Administration (CEA), Tongji University, and Harbin Institute of Technology, was dispatched at the request of the Myanmar government on Thursday.
The aftermath assessment will provide a scientific basis for post-disaster reconstruction, disaster prevention, and mitigation, according to the CEA.
So far, the administration said the team has completed the disaster investigation and assessment tasks in Yangon, Bago and Nay Pyi Taw. It has assessed the intensity and extent of the earthquake in the areas and put forward emergency response and repair suggestions for damaged houses.
At the Children's Hospital in Myanmar's capital Nay Pyi Taw, situated approximately 260 kilometers from the epicenter, experts found that the earthquake fault line ran beneath one of the buildings. This resulted in severe tilting and fracturing of the pillars, with the ground displaying significant cracks, causing extensive structural damage to the building.
"Over there, the other three buildings were not cut through by the earthquake fault line, so they only experienced minor damage. However, this building that was directly intersected by the fault line suffered severe damage, and it cannot be repaired. It can only be demolished and rebuilt," said Sun Baitao, a researcher at the Institute of Engineering Mechanics of the CEA.
Meanwhile in Sagaing, the expert group observed a large number of collapsed brick walls, with some low-rise buildings showing significant deformation and tilting. These buildings have been severely damaged and are no longer inhabitable.
As of April 26, the earthquake has claimed 3,769 lives and injured 5,106 people, with 107 others remaining unaccounted for, according to Myanmar's official data.
Chinese experts conduct quake assessment in Myanmar
A successful Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen will send a strong signal of trust and have a positive effect on global governance, former UNESCO director-general Irina Bokova said ahead of the event.
China will host the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen in south China from Nov 18 to 19, which will mark the country's third hosting of the event following Shanghai in 2001 and Beijing in 2014.
Bokova brought the perspective of a veteran of multilateral institutions to what has become one of the most closely watched diplomatic gatherings of the year.
"I think that there are high expectations from this meeting because we know that today there are many challenges in the world. These geopolitical shifts sometimes need to build more trust. And this is one of the most dynamic regions in the world in terms of economic growth, in terms of trade opportunities and I would say widely impacting all the other developments and all the other risks even and opportunities that we have in the world. I think a successful APEC meeting here, will have a very positive effect on all the debate about global governance and I think that global governance today is the big topic," she said.
Commenting on this year's APEC agenda, Bokova emphasized the transformative role of innovation.
"It's the, I would say, the elephant in the room, it's the most important, one of the most important topics nowadays, because we know that artificial intelligence is all around us. It shapes our societies, our education systems, our jobs. Innovation of course is very much needed. Artificial intelligence for good, and I hope that this will be the topic also for this debate. Now the question is not whether we need artificial intelligence or not, we need it and we think that it may solve many of the humanity's problems, but the question here is whether we know how to manage using this in an ethical, inclusive and sustainable manner. This is the big topic in my mind," she said.
Successful APEC meeting to positively impact global governance: former UNESCO chief
