Myanmar earthquake: Search and rescue efforts continue in race against time

This article is published in association with United Nations.

The human toll of the earthquake which devastated central Myanmar continues to rise, UN humanitarians warned on Sunday, putting more pressure on nearly 20 million people who were already in need of aid.

According to news reports citing Myanmar’s military leader, around 1,700 are confirmed dead from Friday’s 7.7 magnitude quake, with some 3,400 injured and hundreds still missing.

In the Thai capital Bangkok which was also rocked by the seismic event, 76 construction workers are reportedly still missing following the collapse of an unfinished skyscraper. The death toll there now stands at 17.

The search and rescue effort in Myanmar is focused on the major cities of Mandalay and the capital, Nay Pyi Taw. 

Some survivors continue to be pulled from the rubble and multiple international aid teams have reached the stricken areas – although the aid effort is being hindered due to damage to airports.

Shelter, medicine, water

“People urgently need shelter, medical care, water and sanitation support. This disaster puts more pressure on already vulnerable people facing an alarming crisis,” the UN aid coordination office in the region, OCHA, said on X.

Burmese civilians are also stuck between forces of the military junta and numerous armed militia battling for control of the country since the February 2021 coup. More than three million have been displaced by the fighting.

The National Unity Government which represents the democratically-elected civilian administration overthrown by the coup, called on rebel fighters to observe a two week ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid to reach those in need.

But the military regime is reportedly continuing to carry out airstrikes, including in areas close to the epicentre of the earthquake.

Call for ‘immediate ceasefire’

The Human Rights Council-appointed independent expert who monitors the situation in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, said in a social media post on Sunday that the junta should follow opposition forces and declare an immediate ceasefire.

“Military conscription should be suspended; aid workers should not have to fear arrest and there should be no obstructions to aid getting to where it is most needed. Every minute counts,” he added.

The UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA, is one of the agencies on the ground urgently working with partners and local communities to assess critical needs and deliver life-saving aid – particularly for women and girls.

Women and girls face ‘increased risks’

In an update, UNFPA said early assessments highlight significant damage to health facilities, population displacement and the disruption of essential services, including sexual and reproductive healthcare.

“In emergencies like this, women and girls face increased risks, from compromised access to life-saving maternal healthcare to heightened risk of gender-based violence, ” said Jaime Nadal Roig, UNFPA Representative for Myanmar.

“UNFPA is committed to supporting relief efforts, placing the well-being of women and girls – including pregnant women, mothers, and adolescents – at the heart of our humanitarian response efforts.”

UNICEF Myanmar’s Ko Sai, said in a post on X from Mandalay, that the quake was “an absolute catastrophe” for children in the region, with many youngsters and families in Mandalay still missing.

“We need urgent assistance, especially for the children, who often suffer the most in this kind of situation,” he added.

Lifesaving medical supplies

The UN World Health Organization, WHO, has rushed nearly three tonnes of medical supplies from its emergency stockpile in Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon, to hospitals in Mandalay and Nay Pyi Daw.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director in Myanmar, Michael Dunford said in a tweet that the agency carried out its first emergency food distribution in Nay Pyi Taw on Sunday which included high energy biscuits “and we’re about to scale up our assistance.”

WHO on Sunday issued a 30-day flash appeal for $8 million to deliver trauma care, prevent disease outbreaks and restore essential services that have been decimated by the quake. 

Click here to donate to the UN emergency appeal for Myanmar 

© UNICEF

A major road in Nay Pyi Taw shows severe structural damage following the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar.