Myanmar earthquake: death toll passes 1,600 as search for survivors continues

Aid agencies warn of extremely difficult' response amid Myanmar's continuing civil war with true scale of disaster yet to emerge

• Myanmar earthquake: latest news updates as death toll jumps

The death toll from a huge earthquake that hit Myanmar has passed 1,600, as rescuers continue a desperate search for survivors and aid agencies warn of an extremely difficult" response amid the country's continuing conflict.

The shallow 7.7-magnitude quake struck central Myanmar on Friday afternoon, and was followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock. Witness reports and social media footage suggest extensive damage in Mandalay, Myanmar's second biggest city, where buildings, religious sites and main roads were either destroyed or damaged.