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The earthquakes of 7.7 and 6.4 magnitude struck Myanmar in central Myanmar northwest of Sagaing. The UN aid coordination office, OCHA, reported on Saturday that hospitals in the area are overwhelmed with extensive damage to health infrastructure.<\/p>\n
The areas affected are Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Naypyitaw, Northeastern Shan and Sagaing.<\/p>\n
Internet communications are down in the main city of Mandalay, with land and air routes heavily disrupted.<\/p>\n
Health partners are preparing to deploy mobile surgical and medical teams, as well as field hospitals to the affected areas, to deliver life and limb-saving medical interventions to earthquake victims.<\/p>\n
News reports indicate that hundreds of people are trapped under rubble in multiple collapsed buildings, including at least 50 construction workers in the Thai capital Bangkok <\/strong>who are so far unaccounted for.<\/p>\n More than 90 people are reportedly trapped in the rubble of one apartment block in Mandalay.<\/p>\n Myanmar has been mired in a brutal civil war since a severe military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators by military authorities, who overthrew the government in a military coup in February 2021.<\/p>\n The military has called on the international community to provide emergency assistance amid the widespread destruction and loss of life. Meanwhile, opposition forces are reporting that some airstrikes have continued following the quake, including one in the Sagaing region.<\/p>\n The World Health Organization (WHO is looking to move Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) into Myanmar amid reports of insufficient medical supplies, including trauma kits to treat injured people, blood bags for transfusion, anaesthetics, assisted devices, other essential medicines, and tents for health workers.<\/p>\n Marcoluigui Corsi, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Myanmar, issued a statement on Saturday expressing his unwavering solidarity with the Burmese people \u201cduring this tragic time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe UN and its partners are urgently mobilizing to support emergency response efforts and stand ready to assist all affected communities wherever they are<\/strong>,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Myanmar had already been \u201creeling from an alarming humanitarian crisis, largely driven by persistent conflict and recurrent disasters. At this critical time, the people of Myanmar urgently need the steadfast support of the international community,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n In an interview with UN News<\/em> from Myanmar\u2019s largest city, Yangon, Mr. Corsi said that around 20 million people have been impacted by the quake.<\/p>\n He stressed that the UN and partner agencies have a \u201csignificant presence\u201d in the disaster-affected areas around Mandalay and the capital Naypyidaw, and crucially, the immediate aid effort can draw stockpiles already in place.<\/p>\n \u201cI would say that although the logistical challenges for the first few days continue, at least we will be able to deliver and assist<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n The country is grappling with multiple crises, he stressed, with 19.9 million people in need of assistance even before the earthquake. Only five per cent of the 2025 humanitarian response plan has been funded.<\/p>\n He reminded that the Burmese had endured major flooding around seven months ago, and a devastating cyclone in 2023, so \u201cwe see that the resilience of the people and the resilience of the communities, continue to be eroded.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n He said that \u201cat this critical time you know the people of Myanmar needs the support of the entire international community \u2013 now more than ever<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n Trevor Clark, the UN Children\u2019s Fund UNICEF\u2019s regional chief of emergency operations, warned that the devastating quake \u201chas left children facing even greater hardship in an already dire crisis.<\/p>\nUN aid response ramps up<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Pre-positioned aid<\/h2>\n
Children face ‘even greater hardship’<\/h2>\n