Miss Tourism Myanmar 2018 among victims of Mandalay earthquake, body discovered beneath rubble

A former Miss Tourism Myanmar titleholder, who represented the country at the Miss Tourism World 2018 pageant, has been confirmed among the victims of the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on March 28.

According to a statement released by the Miss Tourism Myanmar Organisation via Facebook, the beauty queen was trapped under the rubble of the Sky Villa condominium in Mandalay during the quake. Rescue teams recovered her body on April 2.

The 12-storey Sky Villa complex, built in 2017 and promoted as having an earthquake-resistant foundation, was one of the worst-affected buildings in the city. It previously housed Mandalay’s largest rooftop bar and a luxury gym.

The quake’s epicentre, located at 21.7°N latitude and 95.7°E longitude with a depth of 57 kilometers, caused tremors that were felt across Thailand, Vietnam, and parts of China, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

According to AFP, death toll has risen above 3,000, with ongoing rescue operations in several parts of central Myanmar.