South Africans Repatriated From Myanmar Just Before Devastating Earthquakes Struck

Twenty three trafficked South Africans narrowly escaped Myanmar's two major earthquakes today, when they were repatriated home just hours before the natural disaster struck the area where they were held captive.

In an unbelievable rescue mission in which timing was everything, the 23 South Africans were repatriated home yesterday Thursday from a facility in Myanmar where they were forced to work in online scam centres. .

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation's Dirco Chrispin Phiri said Dirco managed to repatriate 23 of 32 South Africans who were human trafficked to Myanmar under the pretense of employment, and held captive and forced to operate scams. Seven other South Africans had returned home earlier and Dirco is still investigating if the remaining two of the 32 are South African.

Myanmar, located in the western portion of mainland Southeast Asia and bordered by China to the north and northeast and Thailand to the southeast, was violently hit by two earthquakes, the first, a strong 7.7 magnitude earthquake followed by an aftershock measuring 6.4 magnitude hit it. The earthquakes are said to have claimed three lives in Myanmar when a mosque collapsed.

Myanmar, one of Asias poorest nations, is meanwhile grappling with the devastating effects of a civil war that erupted following a military coup in 2021 leaving it unable to properly handle major natural disasters such as the two earthquakes.