Death toll from Myanmar's massive earthquake quake jumps to 1,700

KARACHI, Pakistan

The death toll from a massive 7.7 magnitude earthquake that jolted Myanmar on Friday has climbed to 1,700, authorities said.

The number of injured stood at 3,400, while 300 people still remain missing, said the country's State Administration Council on Sunday.

Crematoriums in Mandalay, the hardest-hit city, are struggling to cope with a rising number of fatalities.

Major cemeteries, including Kyanikan, Taung-Inn, and Myauk-Inn, are overwhelmed, with bodies piling up as families seek to cremate their deceased, Myanmar Now reported on Sunday.

"Yesterday (Saturday), we cremated over 300 bodies. This (Sunday) morning, more than 200 have already been processed," the independent news agency quoted an unnamed resident at a cremation site as saying.

The strong earthquake struck with its epicenter in Myanmar's Sagaing region.

The first jolt was followed by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake 12 minutes later, according to the US Geological Survey.