Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews told the BBC that it was "nothing short of incredible" that the military was continuing to "drop bombs when you are trying to rescue people" after the earthquake. He called on the military regime, which seized power in a coup nearly four years ago to stop all military operations.

"Anyone who has influence on the military needs to step up the pressure and make it very clear that this is not acceptable," he said. "I'm calling upon the junta to just stop, stop any of its military operations," he added. BBC Burmese confirmed that seven people were killed in an airstrike in Naung Cho in northern Shan state. This strike took place around 15:30 local time, less than three hours after the quake struck.

Pro-democracy rebel groups that are fighting to remove the military from power have reported aerial bombings in Chaung-U township in the north-western Sagaing region, the epicentre of the quake. There are also reports of airstrikes in regions near the Thai border. The National Unity Government, which represents the ousted civilian administration, said in a statement that its armed forces would begin a two-week pause in "offensive military operations, except for defensive actions" in areas affected by the earthquake. (BBC)