A Burmese beauty queen was found dead in the rubble of an apartment block flattened by the earthquake in Myanmar.

Silimee, 28, was killed when the 12-storey Sky Villa condominium collapsed in Mandalay on March 28.

Dramatic footage shows the structure - a symbol of the region's rapid urbanisation and growth - crumbling to the ground as terrified onlookers screamed. The building had been touted as having an 'earthquake-resistant foundation'.

The beauty queen's body was recovered from the carnage by rescuers on April 2. She had represented the country at the Miss Tourism World 2018 pageant.

In a statement, the Miss Tourism Myanmar organisation said: 'Miss Tourism Myanmar 2018 Silimee, who represented Myanmar in the Miss Tourism World 2018 competition, tragically passed away in the aftermath of the earthquake.

'Silimee was trapped in the collapse of the Sky Villa in Mandalay during the earthquake and was found dead by rescue teams on April 2, 2025.'

The US Geological Survey said the magnitude 7.7 tremor struck at a depth of 10 kilometres (six miles), and was centred in Myanmar, around 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of Monywa, along the Sagaing fault.

Residents ran from their homes when they felt the tremors shortly after 1:20 pm local time on March 28. More than 3,145 people in the country have been killed and some 4,589 injured, with the figures expected to rise.

The quake destroyed buildings, bridges, and dams, leaving many areas in ruins. Communication remains difficult as mobile networks are down, and access to electricity and the internet is limited.

Rescue teams from Communist China - a close ally of the Burmese junta - have been working alongside locals in Myanmar, or Burma, to provide relief from the disaster.

American teams have been delayed by issues with sanctions on the war-torn country and problems obtaining visas.

US officials are said to have claimed that the American absence shows how President Donald Trump's moves to slash the size of the US government have reduced its ability to act during disasters.

In neighbouring Thailand, high-rise buildings shook and an apartment block under construction collapsed in Bangkok. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said at least 22 people were killed.