Shocking earthquake disaster: thousands of victims and lack of help in Myanmar

Shocking earthquake disaster: thousands of victims and lack of help in Myanmar

On Friday, April 1, 2025, an earthquake of the strength 7.7 Myanmar shook. The devastating effects of this natural disaster are still shocking after a week. According to the information from Radio Euskirchen to date, over 220 people are still missing. Experts and aid organizations warn that the actual number of victims may be much higher.

in the most affected regions, especially in Sagaing, Mandalay and Naypyidaw, the consequences are already catastrophic. The water supply has collapsed, which leads to a dramatic increase in diarrhea, and there is an acute danger to epidemics such as cholera. Before the quake, 15.2 million people in Myanmar already lived in hunger, which also makes the situation precarious.

a picture of the destruction

The destruction is massive. Over 2,000 fatalities were officially reported by the military government, while ZDF reports that the actual number of dead could achieve more than 10,000. An unnoticed detail is the collapse of important infrastructure, including airports and bridges, which makes the auxiliary measures considerably more difficult.

People sometimes dig their hands on survivors and missing relatives. Especially in the Sagaing region, the smell of decaying corpses is omnipresent, and the lack of corpse bags exacerbates the desperate location. Henry Braun from Welthungerhilfe describes the situation as a "century disaster". Aid organizations are struggling to penetrate the affected areas, since road conditions and other infrastructure damage hinder the delivery of food, water and medical care.

political dimensions of the crisis

The conditions are further tightened by the brutal rule of the military junta, which has been in power since coup in 2021. According to reports, the military government continues to carry out air strikes, while the population suffers from a lack of support. The Junta has proclaimed a one -week state maker, and the flags are set to half -mast until April 6th. A nationwide silence is planned for Tuesday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for the highest emergency level and requires $ 8 million (7.4 million euros) for humanitarian aid. In view of the increasing numbers of injuries and the increased risk of infection, the demand for immediate support is urgent. In many areas, electricity and water supply is interrupted, which makes the situation even more critical and increases the risk of outbreaks of illness.

Hope for a ceasefire between different resistance groups and the military government could possibly make access to the needy. The international community has to get involved quickly to help the affected people in Myanmar and to meet their basic needs.