Earthquake Aftermath: Needs Remain Critical One Month On

At the end of March, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake and multiple aftershocks struck Myanmar, devastating entire towns, roads, and homes. It was the worst earthquake to hit the country in a century.

According to the latest estimates, more than 4,000 people lost their lives and over 50,000 were affected in the communities of Mandalay and Sagaing alone, located at the epicentre of the quake.

Extreme heat, reaching up to 44°C, and unseasonably heavy rainfall further aggravate conditions for humanitarian teams and survivors, many of whom are still sleeping in the open air. Thousands of people have been injured, and many others are still missing, with the exact number still difficult to determine.

Surviving with limited access to drinking water and sanitation infrastructures

Already weakened by the ongoing conflict, most water infrastructures were damaged in the earthquake. This led to overuse of the facilities that were still functional, exacerbated by the arrival of displaced people and the increased need for water in the affected areas. Local authorities reported 42,000 damaged latrines and significant damage to urban water systems and rural water tables. As a result, contamination of water points has increased, raising the risk of waterborne diseases that can lead to malnutrition, and latrines built by communities have been damaged.

Ongoing conflict in earthquake-affected areas has reduced the regular income of vulnerable populations due to a lack of employment opportunities and access to agricultural land. As a result, residents are struggling to manage and maintain water and sanitation infrastructures.

Rapid humanitarian response

Action Against Hunger teams are present in Sagaing, where needs assessment work is underway in partnership with UNICEF. To date, our teams plan to intervene by distributing hygiene kits and water purification tablets, as well as organizing the transport of water by truck to meet the vital needs of the inhabitants.

The response carried out by Action Against Hunger with Burmese NGO partners also includes psychosocial support, psychological first aid, support for mobile clinics, health awareness campaigns, and screening and treatment of malnutrition in children.

More than 9 million people, including 2.7 million children, are currently the hardest hit in 58 communes in the regions of Bago East, Kayin, Magway, Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw, Shan South and Sagaing. Faced with deteriorating sanitary conditions, communities express deep concern about the growing risk of infectious diseases. With 17.6 million people in need of humanitarian aid, Action Against Hunger continues to prepare a long-term response in collaboration with Burmese associations.