Rescuers braved aftershocks to scour the devastated city of Mandalay for survivors on Monday, after a massive earthquake killed at least 1,700 people in Myanmar and at least 18 in neighbouring Thailand.

The initial 7.7-magnitude quake struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock.

The tremors collapsed buildings, downed bridges and buckled roads, with mass destruction seen in the city of more than 1.7 million people.

Tea shop owner Win Lwin picked his way through the remains of a collapsed restaurant in his neighbourhood on Sunday, tossing bricks aside one by one.

"About seven people died here" when the quake struck, he told AFP. "I'm looking for more bodies but I know there cannot be any survivors."

A small aftershock struck in the morning, driving people scurrying out of a hotel for safety, following a similar tremor felt late Saturday evening.

And around 2:00 pm (0730 GMT), another aftershock -- of 5.1-magnitude according to the US Geological Survey -- sent alarmed people into the streets once again,........

© International Business Times