Over 200 bodies recovered from three mosques in Sagaing Region unable to receive traditional Islamic burial

The Muslim community in Sagaing town of Sagaing Region told DVB that it is facing challenges in burying over 200 bodies of those killed during the earthquake. Three Sagaing mosques, including the Myodaw, the Myoma, and the Masjid Jamae, collapsed on Friday.

“We have to send the bodies to Mandalay because the Muslim cemetery in Sagaing is in a military-controlled zone, making access to it difficult,” a resident told DVB on condition of anonymity. 

Sagaing town – the epicenter of the earthquake – is located 68 miles (109 km) east of the region’s capital Monywa. Sagaing residents reported that 90 percent of the town has been completely destroyed and that bodies left out in the open are decomposing.