Death Toll Rises From Bangkok Earthquake

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s ruling military has said on state television that the confirmed death toll from a devastating earthquake rose to1,644. Saturday’s new total is a sharp rise compared to the 1,002 total announced just hours earlier. It underlines the difficulty of confirming casualties over a widespread region and the likelihood that the numbers will continue to grow from Friday’s quake. Rescue efforts are underway especially in the major stricken cities of Mandalay and Naypyitaw. Teams and equipment have been flown in from other nations. But they are hindered by the airports in those cities being damaged and apparently unfit to land planes.