A Burmese man living in Dunedin said people he knew living near the epicentre of Friday’s 7.7 magnitude earthquake in the north of Myanmar were feeling a strong sense of "helplessness" and were struggling to mount rescue operations with no equipment or expertise.
"People are still under the rubble and ruins of building and still no help," he said.
"They know that no-one is coming ... especially the little areas away from the big city, so those areas are even worse — no help there at all."
The ODT has agreed not to name the man, who said his relatives in the south had not been directly affected by the disaster.
As of last night more than 1600 people in Myanmar were reported dead and 3400 injured in the quake, which has damaged the country’s airports, bridges and highways amid a civil war that has wrecked the economy and displaced millions.
The quake jolted parts of neighbouring Thailand, bringing down an under-construction skyscraper and killing 17 people across the capital Bangkok, according to Thai authorities.
Late last night, at least 78 people remained trapped under the debris of the collapsed building.
The Dunedin man said the plight of people on the ground in Myanmar was being made worse by the military junta, which was using the "more than chaotic situation" to its advantage to retain control of the country.
For example, he understood the military had ordered some hospitals to remain closed so pro-democracy rebels could not receive treatment.
"When the people are chaotic, then they can’t care about politics and they can’t support the democratic fighters," he said.
International donations, including those from governments and aid agencies, needed to be made to non-government organisations or people directly affected by the earthquake — not the junta, he said.
"The military regime, they only use it for themselves, only for their troops. And a very, very negligible amount only reached to the people who are really in need."
A fellow member of the Dunedin Burmese community, Su Dali Than, said the military’s air strikes during the national crisis were a "slap in the face".
BBC Burmese reported seven people were killed in a military air strike targeting pro-democracy rebels in the northwest of the country less than three hours after the quake struck, with more air strikes reported near the Thai border.
"The general consensus with the community, not just in Dunedin, but across New Zealand, it’s just the disappointment of ... the timing," Miss Than said.
"It’s such a vulnerable time for people, it’s such a disastrous time ... when the country is supposed to come together, but yet the military chooses to take attacks on more vulnerable people."
The focus for the New Zealand Burmese community was making sure aid reached those in need, through independent NGOs with no connection to the military.
"We want to make sure our humanitarian assistance will reach all those people in Mandalay, which is where the earthquake has hit, but also in the wider areas where the military regime has also attacked as well."
Dunedin Multi Ethnic Council president Lux Selvanesan said the council was contacting the Myanmar community in Dunedin.
"[We are] checking if anyone or any of their families have been affected and ... [if there] is anything we can do."
Former ODT reporter Oscar Francis, of Dunedin, who is working in Bangkok as an English teacher, was on his lunch break at work when the earthquake struck.
"We evacuated all the kids from the buildings.
"The shaking felt really strong and probably lasted for a minute — definitely made me think of Christchurch. I think it's the strongest shaking I've ever felt in a quake."
A friend had told Mr Francis an estimated 50,000 people had packed into Bangkok’s central city Lumpini Park, as workers evacuated nearby buildings.
There was "total traffic gridlock" as people tried to return home. Some people waited four hours to find an available motorbike.
His apartment building was evacuated for a few hours but escaped damage. Other residents had shared photos of cracked walls and water-damaged ceilings, Mr Francis said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said all its staff in Myanmar and Thailand were safe.
There were seven New Zealanders registered in Myanmar and 161 in Thailand who had been sent SafeTravel messaging, a spokesperson said.
Those in affected areas should follow the advice of local authorities at all times, including any evacuation orders, and should let friends and family in New Zealand know they were safe when they were able to.
"New Zealanders who require urgent consular assistance can contact the 24/7 consular emergency line on +64 99 20 20 20."
