Myanmar's military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, has arrived in Thailand to participate in a regional summit, coinciding with the aftermath of a devastating earthquake that has claimed the lives of 3,085 people and injured 4,715 others in central Myanmar.

Hundreds remain unaccounted for, and officials indicate that the death toll may continue to rise as recovery efforts progress.

The earthquake struck on Friday, causing widespread destruction across several cities.

As many areas remain inaccessible to relief workers, the verification of casualties and damage remains challenging.

Min Aung Hlaing's attendance at the summit, which is set to convene leaders from the seven nations bordering the Bay of Bengal, is notable due to sanctions that typically exclude leaders from countries under international restrictions from such events.

Thailand, the host nation, reported that the earthquake's tremors were felt within its territory, resulting in 21 fatalities.

Thai officials have proposed a joint statement from summit attendees addressing the disaster and philanthropic efforts.

In response to the emergency, countries globally have dispatched aid and rescue teams to assist Myanmar; however, the nation’s existing humanitarian challenges are exacerbated by poor infrastructure and ongoing conflict stemming from a civil war that reignited following the military coup in February 2021. This civil unrest has significantly hindered effective disaster response and recovery.

To facilitate aid efforts, the military junta announced a temporary ceasefire earlier this week, after initially rejecting ceasefire proposals from various armed ethnic groups engaged in resistance against the military regime.

Despite the ceasefire, the military has conducted airstrikes in regions heavily affected by the earthquake, including areas controlled by armed ethnic factions.

Conflict issues were compounded on Tuesday night, when military troops fired upon a convoy from the Chinese Red Cross delivering humanitarian assistance.

The junta claimed that the convoy ignored signals to stop, leading to the incident.

In parallel with these developments, Min Aung Hlaing is reported to have plans for discussions with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra during the summit, marking a significant engagement between Myanmar’s leadership and neighboring countries.

The turmoil in Myanmar has drawn international scrutiny, with humanitarian organizations calling for unobstructed access to aid in the wake of the disaster.

The United Nations has also urged the international community to increase its humanitarian efforts in anticipation of the approaching monsoon season, which is expected to further complicate disaster relief operations.