Naypyidaw (Web Desk/Agencies): A powerful earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, registering a magnitude of 7.7, leaving behind a devastating toll. More than 2,700 lives have been lost, and over 4,500 people have been injured.
The tremor also caused severe damage to essential infrastructure, including roads and bridges, making it incredibly difficult for aid to reach those in need.
As a result, shelter, clean water, and medical supplies have become critically scarce, and many people are being forced to sleep outdoors, lacking both electricity and running water.
In the aftermath of the disaster, aid agencies, including the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), have issued urgent warnings about the shortages of drinking water, which are increasing the risks of cholera outbreaks.
Health facilities are overwhelmed, and medical supplies are quickly depleting, exacerbating the already dire situation. In addition to these challenges, the destruction of infrastructure has significantly delayed the delivery of aid, with it taking 13 hours for emergency teams to travel from Yangon to Mandalay, a journey that typically takes only eight hours.
The refugee agency UNHCR has declared the situation a top-tier humanitarian crisis, mobilizing resources like plastic sheets, bedding, and mosquito nets to help alleviate the suffering. UNICEF has also joined the response, though efforts are strained by the continuing damage to critical roads and bridges.
With resources running low, the UN and other organizations have raised alarm about the lack of funding to replenish their stocks and sustain ongoing relief efforts.
This natural disaster adds further hardship to a nation already reeling from the political instability triggered by the military coup in 2021.
The violent aftermath of the coup, which displaced over 3.5 million people, has compounded the challenges of responding to such a massive crisis.
As Myanmar faces one of its most severe humanitarian emergencies, international support is desperately needed to provide aid and help rebuild the shattered country.