Abroad

Selfless nurses in China protect babies as tremors from Myanmar earthquake shake maternity centre

Brave souls.

Hannah Martens

March 30, 2025, 05:46 PM

The tremors from the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that hit Myanmar on Mar. 28 could be felt as far as China.

And while it left devastation in its wake, the disaster also brought out the best in people.

In southwest China, CCTV footage captured the heroic acts of two nurses from a maternity centre in Jingcheng Hospital in Ruili, Yunnan, who selflessly put the babies’ safety before their own when the natural disaster struck.

As the building swayed violently from the effects of the earthquake, one staff tried her best to protect the newborns from injury by stabilising the cots, while another cradled an infant in her arms.

At one point, the latter sank to the floor while clinging desperately to the baby, even as items were falling to the ground around her.

She could be heard reassuring the baby, "It's okay, it's okay."

One of the nurses, Xiong Jielan, told Xinhua News, "The earthquake hit so suddenly I didn't have time to think."

"It was just instinct–all that mattered was keeping the baby in my arms safe."

Largest quake to hit Myanmar

An earthquake struck central Myanmar on Mar. 28, collapsing buildings and destroying a historic bridge.

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake was the largest quake to hit Myanmar in more than a century, reported CNN.

More than 1,600 people have been killed and thousands more injured, BBC reported.

Tremors were felt as far away as Bangkok, where at least nine people have died and 49 remain missing.

Bangkok has since been declared a disaster area by the Thai government.

As search and rescue efforts continue, aftershocks continue to shake Myanmar, the strongest so far, measuring at a magnitude of 6.7.

These aftershocks could continue for months, a geologist told CNN.

In total, the death toll in Myanmar could exceed 10,000, according to predictive modelling by the U.S. Geological Service.

Singaporeans are advised to defer all travel to Myanmar in the meantime, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.