UN Highlights Challenges in Myanmar’s Relief Efforts as Damaged Infrastructure Hinders Aid Efforts
According to the United Nations, Myanmar’s ongoing relief operations are being severely hampered by damaged roads and debris in the wake of the recent devastating earthquake. The country is still in the process of searching for survivors following the strongest earthquake to hit the region in years.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated that a significant shortage of essential medical supplies is exacerbating the challenges faced by health workers. Items like trauma kits, blood bags, anesthetics, and assistive devices are in critically low supply in Myanmar, a country already isolated from global networks due to the military junta’s control. These shortages are making it increasingly difficult for local medical teams, particularly in cities like Mandalay, Magway, Nay Pyi Taw, and Sagaing, to manage the large number of injured people arriving at hospitals.
In the southern part of Myanmar, the townships of Nyaungshwe, Kalaw, and Pinlaung have been particularly hard hit. The OCHA reported that thousands of people are now forced to spend the night outdoors in open spaces, either because their homes have been destroyed or because they fear further aftershocks.
“As the full scale of the disaster unfolds, urgent humanitarian assistance is needed to support those affected,” the OCHA noted in a statement. The disruption of telecommunications and internet services is making it even more difficult to coordinate relief and get aid to those in need.
As of Friday, over 1,200 homes, three school buildings, a hotel, and several religious sites have been damaged or completely destroyed. Hospitals, major bridges, universities, and other significant public structures have also sustained severe damage, further complicating the rescue and relief efforts.
Countries Sending Aid to Myanmar
Myanmar, one of the poorest nations in Asia, has been largely cut off from international assistance for several years due to its ongoing civil war and the military government’s isolationist policies. However, in response to the recent earthquake, Min Aung Hlaing, the leader of Myanmar’s military government, declared a state of emergency and issued an unprecedented request for help.
China, which has maintained a long-standing relationship with Myanmar, was the first to respond. A 37-member rescue and medical team arrived on Saturday morning, carrying specialized equipment like life detectors, earthquake early warning systems, portable satellites, drones, and other vital relief supplies.
India also mobilized quickly, sending a 118-person medical team, which arrived in the capital Nay Pyi Taw and then proceeded to Mandalay, the city nearest to the earthquake’s epicenter. Additionally, a search and rescue team was dispatched, along with two ships carrying essential aid. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs indicated that more assistance would be sent via additional ships and flights.
Russia, offering condolences to Myanmar’s military leadership, has also pledged to send planeloads of relief supplies and personnel. In the United States, President Donald Trump called the earthquake “terrible” and expressed his commitment to assisting Myanmar. “It’s a real bad one, and we will be helping. We’ve already spoken with the country,” he remarked.
The European Union has pledged €2.5 million ($2.7 million) in emergency aid, while other nations, including South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore, have also stepped in to offer assistance, contributing both financial resources and manpower to the relief effort.
How to Support the People Affected by Myanmar’s Earthquake
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar has caused widespread devastation, claiming the lives of more than 1,600 people, with the death toll expected to continue rising. It is the most powerful earthquake Myanmar has experienced in over a century, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). As relief organizations work to provide support to survivors, the need for international assistance remains critical.
Aid groups are currently on the ground in Myanmar, working to assist those affected by the earthquake and coordinate efforts to deliver food, water, and medical supplies to the hardest-hit areas.
Rising Death Toll in Myanmar
As of the most recent updates, more than 1,600 people have been confirmed dead as a result of the earthquake, according to Myanmar’s military authorities, with the number of injured rising to 3,408. Additionally, at least 139 people remain unaccounted for. The situation remains dire, with authorities and rescue teams continuing to search through the rubble to locate survivors.
A Remarkable Rescue: Woman Found Alive After Hours Under Rubble
In a remarkable story of survival, a mother of two, Phyu Lay Khaing, was rescued from beneath the wreckage of a collapsed apartment building in Mandalay. She had been trapped under the debris of the Sky Villa Condominium for nearly 30 hours. When she was finally pulled from the rubble, her husband anxiously awaited her, relieved to embrace her and take her to the hospital.
In an emotional moment, her husband remarked, “In the beginning, I didn’t think she would be alive. I am very happy that I heard good news.” The couple’s two children, William (8) and Ethan (5), were also anxiously awaiting their mother’s return. A Red Cross official informed the media that more than 90 people may still be trapped under the remains of the apartment complex.
The Strongest Earthquake Myanmar Has Faced in Over a Century
The earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 2025 is the most powerful to hit the country in over 100 years, according to data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The last earthquake of similar magnitude occurred in 1912 in Taunggyi, a city in eastern Myanmar.
This recent quake has caused at least 1,000 deaths in Myanmar, and the USGS has estimated that the final toll could exceed 10,000. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with international aid pouring in to support the country’s overwhelmed resources.
Foreign Aid Arriving Amid Ongoing Civil Conflict
Myanmar has long faced challenges in handling natural disasters due to its political isolation and the ongoing civil war that has affected millions of people. In the aftermath of this earthquake, the situation is dire, but foreign aid is beginning to arrive.
The country’s limited capacity to deal with such large-scale crises, combined with years of internal conflict, has left Myanmar struggling to cope with this latest disaster. As foreign rescue teams and aid supplies arrive, the focus is on rescuing survivors, providing medical treatment, and offering immediate relief to those whose lives have been upended by the earthquake’s destruction.
As the full extent of the disaster unfolds, the international community continues to rally around Myanmar, offering support in the form of financial aid, rescue teams, and medical supplies. The path to recovery will be long, but with global assistance, the people of Myanmar have hope for the future.
