Silimee, crowned in 2018, found dead beneath collapsed condo after powerful earthquake strikes Myanmar
The body of Silimee, Miss Tourism Myanmar 2018, was recovered from beneath the debris of a collapsed high-rise in Mandalay, days after a devastating earthquake shook central Myanmar.
Silimee, who represented Myanmar at the Miss Tourism World pageant in 2018, was confirmed among the victims of the 7.7-magnitude quake that struck the region on 28 March.
Rescuers found her remains on 2 April inside the ruins of Sky Villa, a 12-storey residential tower that crumbled during the seismic event. The Miss Tourism Myanmar organisation announced the news in a sombre Facebook post.
The earthquake’s impact was felt well beyond Myanmar’s borders, reaching parts of China, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Sky Villa, completed in 2017, had been marketed as having an “earthquake-resistant foundation”. It housed one of Mandalay’s trendiest rooftop bars and a modern fitness centre, both of which were lost in the disaster. The building has now become one of the most symbolic sites of the tragedy.
According to The New York Times, the collapse of Sky Villa is being scrutinised amid questions over construction standards and building safety regulations in the country.
Myanmar’s military authorities stated that the confirmed death toll has exceeded 3,100, as reported by Reuters, and recovery operations are ongoing in several parts of the city.
