Myanmar Earthquake: Three Weeks On, Aftershocks and Lack of Resources Hinder Recovery
According to a report by NBC News, three weeks after a devastating earthquake struck Myanmar, basic services have yet to be restored to the worst-hit areas, and emergency workers are struggling to recover bodies and clear debris amidst frequent aftershocks and a shortage of resources.
A situation report issued by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Friday stated that "three weeks after catastrophic twin earthquakes hit Myanmar on 28 March, the worst-affected communities are still without safe shelter, clean water and sanitation, stable electricity, health care and essential services." The report also noted that frequent strong aftershocks continue to shake central Myanmar almost daily, increasing fear and uncertainty among affected residents, disrupting response efforts, and exacerbating the pressure on already limited resources and services.
The epicenter of the 7.7 magnitude quake was near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, but it hit a wide swath of the country, causing significant damage to six regions and states, including the capital, Naypyitaw. As NBC News reported, the earthquake also worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis triggered by the country’s civil war, which had internally displaced more than 3 million people and left nearly 20 million in need, according to the United Nations.
The state-run Myanma Alinn newspaper reported on Saturday that the quake’s death toll had reached 3,726, with 5,105 people injured and 129 still missing. The report also stated that 1,975 international rescuers and medical workers from 25 countries had collaborated with local rescuers in saving 653 people and recovering 753 bodies from under rubble. As NBC News noted, 65,096 houses and buildings, 2,514 schools, 4,317 Buddhist monasterial living quarters, 6,027 pagodas and temples, 350 hospitals and clinics, 170 bridges, 586 dams, and 203 sections of the country’s main highway were damaged by the earthquake.
Myanmar Fire Services Department, an official emergency services agency operating in many areas of the country, reported that rescue workers were carrying out relief, search, and cleaning debris from big buildings, and had returned valuable jewelry, cash, and documents found among the rubble to their owners. An official from Myanmar Rescue Federation (Mandalay), which has been operating along with the firefighters, told NBC News that the priority three weeks on from the earthquake was to clear bodies and debris from under bigger buildings, while also providing assistance to the survivors affected by the earthquake.
The United Nations Development Program estimated that at least 2.5 million tons, or roughly 125,000 truckloads, of debris from the quake needs to be removed. UN-Habitat, the U.N. agency for human settlements, said in a statement on Friday that its staff and the Myanmar Engineering Society were collaborating in assessing widespread building damage in earthquake-affected regions. As NBC News reported, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, head of the military government, told his Cabinet members during a meeting on Friday that the urban layout of Naypyitaw will be redesigned.
In conclusion, the situation in Myanmar remains dire three weeks after the devastating earthquake struck the country. Emergency workers are struggling to recover bodies and clear debris amidst frequent aftershocks and a shortage of resources. The international community must continue to provide support to the affected communities to help them recover from this disaster. According to NBC News, the road to recovery will be long and challenging, but with continued support, the people of Myanmar can rebuild and recover.
