Post-disaster relief work ongoing in Mandalay as authorities strive to restore basic services

Efforts are continuing to search for survivors of last Friday's powerful earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar, as other post-disaster work proceeds in some parts of the city at the same time to clear the rubble of collapsed buildings, provide medical care for the injured and proper shelter for the affected, and prevent the spread of potential diseases.

According to a Myanmar rescuer participating in search and rescue operations in the country's second-largest city, the clock is ticking down to find more survivors who remain buried under the debris of collapsed buildings more than five days after the 7.9-magnitude earthquake rocked the country. The disaster has claimed 3,085 lives, injured 4,715, and left 341 more missing, the Information Team of the State Administration Council said on Thursday local time.

"The top priority for us rescuers is finding more survivors. But since a long time has already passed, our next main task will be to recover the bodies of the victims," Ko Kyaw Min, head of a rescue team from Hpakant, a town in Kachin State, told China Central Television (CCTV) in an interview on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the search and rescue operations as well as epidemic prevention and control efforts in Mandalay are facing multiple hurdles such as a lack of power and water supplies, a communication blackout, and high temperatures that have persisted for days.

The relevant authorities in Mandalay are going all out to restore electricity, water and communication services in the stricken areas and have brought in large machinery to clear the rubble and debris.

An air route dedicated to disaster relief has been put into operation at the city's airport since Wednesday, and another civil aviation route is expected to open on Friday, a CCTV reporter learned from local officials.

The city is also seeing more medical teams arriving to assist in treating the injured, and more relief supplies such as tents, food, drinking water, and medicine are pouring in and being distributed to the affected locals.

Post-disaster relief work ongoing in Mandalay as authorities strive to restore basic services

The world's first humanoid robot half-marathon, set to take place in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area next week, will offer a unique platform for robotics companies to test their creations in real-world conditions.

The robots will run a 21.0975-kilometer course alongside human runners, but in a separate lane divided by barriers or greenbelts for safety. Seven aid stations will be positioned along the route.

"The aid stations mainly support participating teams by providing battery replacements, safety equipment, and auxiliary tools," explained Wang Guolin, deputy head of the robot competition group.

Referees and support personnel will follow the robots throughout the race to address any unexpected issues.

While robots are usually evaluated in controlled settings, this half-marathon presents a unique opportunity for developers to test their capabilities in complex real-world scenarios.

"The robot marathon represents a marathon of technology and industry. The robots running on the track symbolize our pursuit of advancement in technology and industry," said Liang Liang, deputy director of the Management Committee of the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area.

The challenging half-marathon course requires robots to navigate long-distance bipedal walking or running, varied terrain, and potential unforeseen situations.

This demands a high level of performance in areas such as sensor accuracy, chip computing speed, and algorithmic intelligence.

Organizers noted that many of the participating robots were not designed for running and endurance, but this competition provides a platform for comprehensive testing.

"The race can evaluate robots' locomotion capabilities, stability, posture, energy efficiency, and control algorithms. We hope that through this exchange we can jointly promote the development of the embodied robotics industry," Wang said.

The participating robots have completed initial track tests and are now undergoing final preparations for the event.

Humanoid robots gear up for real-world test in half-marathon event