"We were in fear for our lives," the woman said, noting that she phoned her family at one point to "say my goodbyes."

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake rattled much of Southeast Asia on Friday, flattening skyscrapers and leaving more than 1,000 people dead from Myanmar to Thailand.

A U.S. team has yet to arrive in Myanmar after last week’s 7.7-magnitude earthquake, while China has already rescued six people and committed $14 million in humanitarian aid.

Earthquake preparation hinges in large part on the expertise of scientists and engineers in federal agencies who develop earthquake hazard models and building codes.

Here’s what to know about the challenges from the natural disaster—compounded by ongoing civil war—and where the country could go from here.

Temporary ceasefires announced by warring groups in Myanmar in the wake of last week’s devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake represent a rare de-escalation of a conflict that since 2021 has taken thousands of lives and uprooted more than 3 million people.