YANGON – The body of Miss Tourism Myanmar 2018, Silimee, was discovered beneath the rubble of a collapsed condominium in Mandalay, days after a devastating earthquake struck the region.
Silimee, who represented Myanmar at the Miss Tourism World 2018 competition, was among the victims of the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that hit on March 28. The powerful tremor was felt across neighboring countries, including Thailand, Vietnam, and parts of China.
She was trapped under debris when Sky Villa, a 12-story condominium, collapsed during the quake. Rescuers recovered her body on April 2, according to a statement from the Miss Tourism Myanmar organization on Facebook.
Despite being marketed as having an “earthquake-resistant foundation,” Sky Villa was among the worst-hit buildings, The New York Times reported. Before its collapse, the high-rise housed Mandalay’s largest rooftop bar and a state-of-the-art gym. According to Myanmar’s ruling junta, the death toll from the disaster has risen to more than 3,100, Reuters reported.