Chinese experts conduct quake assessment in Myanmar

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

The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, a newly formed defense pact among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, represents a deterrence strategy rather than an actual threat to Iran, according to Hossein Kanani Moghaddam, a former commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The three nations on Friday signed the joint defense agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to deepen cooperation among the three regional powers amid rising regional security concerns, according to Pakistan's Foreign Ministry.

The agreement aims to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, under which an armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against all, the ministry said in a statement.

However, its signing amid the backdrop of the Middle East conflict has prompted questions as to whether the parties would actually uphold their obligations in the event of a real attack.

"Treaties like these are more about deterrence than operational use. That is, if we were to attack the U.S. base in Saudi Arabia tomorrow, Pakistan wouldn't react. Even Türkiye, because they know that if they respond they'd be drawn into a war against Iran, is mostly engaging in propaganda. And in my view, it has no effect in terms of threatening Iran," said Kanani Moghaddam, who now works as a military analyst.

"We want to attack the U.S. base; we're not attacking Saudi Arabia. This base is in Saudi Arabia, and in any case Saudi Arabia understands that we're not seeking war with them. It seems that this pact that has been forged will have no effect on the war between Iran, the United States, and the Zionist regime; it is viewed more as a deterrent measure," he said.

Former IRGC commander plays down threat from Pakistan-Saudi-Türkiye defense pact