[Tee tiong huat]

More than 3.5 million people have been internally displaced and many more driven across the borders amid fighting between the military and a mosaic of armed groups that have seized control of vast swathes of territory.

Fighting continued on Friday, with military jets launching airstrikes and drone attacks shortly after the quake in Karen state, near the headquarters of one of the largest ethnic armed groups, according to the Free Burma Rangers, a relief organisation.

Myanmar’s junta has issued a rare appeal for international aid, and disaster response teams from Russia, China, Singapore and India flying in on Saturday.