Agencies BANGKOK

People gathered at mosques for  last Friday prayers of  the holy month of Ramzan, when the devastating 7.7 magnitude quake shook the earth, changing lives forever. Once the dust of the collapsed buildings settled down, people stared with horror at the destruction. The quake, centered near Sagaing and Mandalay, claimed over 2,700 lives, with the toll expected to rise.  

Former Myoma mosque imam, Soe Nay Oo, witnessed the disaster's aftermath from Mae Sot, Thailand. He learned that approximately 170 relatives, friends, and former congregation members had perished, many within mosques. Notably, around 500 Muslims died during prayers, as confirmed by Myanmar’s leader, Min Aung Hlaing. Soe Nay Oo currently lives in the Thai city of Mae Sot with his wife and daughter, after escaping from Myanmar soon after a coup that took place in 2021.

Reports suggest desperate attempts to escape crumbling structures. Bodies were found outside prayer halls, some clutching each other, indicating attempts to flee. Among the deceased was Soe Nay Oo's wife's cousin, whose loss he described as "the most painful thing" in his 13 years as an imam. Another cousin, a respected businessman, also perished.  

Soe Nay Oo also mourned his former assistant imam, remembered for his dedication, and the Myoma mosque's sole female trustee, a generous school principal. Each loss brought fresh waves of grief, compounded by the knowledge they died during Ramzan, considered a holy time.  "All the departed have returned to Allah's home, I would say. They will be remembered as martyrs," he said.

He said every time he hears of yet another person from the community who died, he experiences a new wave of grief. "I feel devastated… it always comes to my mind, the memories I cherish of them. "Even though they were not close relatives, they were the ones who always welcomed me, followed my prayers, and who prayed together," he said.

The sheer number of casualties overwhelmed the community, complicated by ongoing conflict between the military junta and resistance groups. The Sagaing Muslim cemetery’s closure forced families to transport bodies to Mandalay, delaying burials beyond the customary 24 hours.

Survivors struggle to cope with trauma while aiding in rescue efforts. Soe Nay Oo, experiencing survivor’s guilt, feels helpless being abroad. "If I were the imam still, at the time of the quake, I would have gone with them," he expressed, his voice breaking. And Soe Nay Oo began to sob.