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Associated Press
4 days ago
- General
- Associated Press
Many survivors of Myanmar's devastating quake in March still live in leaky tents
BANGKOK (AP) — Two months after a deadly earthquake ravaged much of central and northeastern Myanmar, recovery is just inching along, with huge numbers of people living in temporary shelters while facing the heavy rainfall and strong winds of monsoon season. The 7.7 magnitude March 28 quake caused significant damage to six regions and states, including the capital Naypyitaw and Mandalay, the country's second-largest city. The confirmed death toll from the disaster has reached 3,740, with 5,104 injured, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar reported on Friday. Bodies are still being found As the task of rebuilding grinds along, the grim work of recovering the dead is continuing. The Myanmar Fire Services Department said on its Facebook page this week that its teams had recovered four bodies from the rubble of the collapsed buildings of the Sky Villa Condominium in Mandalay on Tuesday and Wednesday. More than 100 bodies have been recovered from the condominium site and search operations will continue as more bodies are believed to be buried under debris, an official of the Myanmar Rescue Federation (Mandalay), which works with the firefighters, told The Associated Press on Friday. He asked not to be named because he fears arrest for speaking without authorization. Myanmar has a major ongoing humanitarian crisis Humanitarian needs in Myanmar have reached record levels, with 19.9 million people identified as needing assistance, and an additional 2 million in urgent need following the quake, said a report issued on May 23 by OCHA, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Myanmar already plunged into turmoil in 2021, when the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, which triggered nationwide nonviolent pro-democracy protests that escalated into armed resistance and what now amounts to a civil war. 'Myanmar continues to face significant humanitarian challenges, driven by recurrent disasters, persistent conflict, and grave protection risks, with an estimated 3.5 million people displaced across the country,' OCHA said. Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the head of Myanmar's military government, said at a Thursday fund-raising ceremony for disaster relief that more than half a million people from 2,081 villages were affected by the quake, the Global New Light of Myanmar reported Hundreds of roads and bridges were damaged or destroyed and more than 700 hospitals and clinics also suffered varying levels of damage, according to his figures. Many survivors are still in inadequate temporary housing Shelter is a major problem, even as people leave temporary camps to return home. The official from Myanmar Rescue Federation (Mandalay) said about half of the disaster victims who were sheltering in camps have returned to temporary accommodations built on land where their homes once stood. Aung Kyaw, who supervises recovery activities in Hmike Su ward in Mandalay's Amarapura township, told The Associated Press on Friday that more than 150 people from his ward were still living in roadside shelters in tarpaulin tents He said they were suffering due to strong winds and constant rain for days, and urgently need metal roofing. 'I need iron sheets for a roof to build a shelter on my land. I would be satisfied just to be able to safely sleep at my house,' said Aung Kyaw, whose home was destroyed. 'I don't want to badger for anything else. Now we are just sitting in the rain.' He said the people living in temporary shelters will also likely face floods due to heavy monsoon rains in the coming months. In Naypyitaw, the capital, government personnel have moved to modular low-cost prefabricated buildings built around the compound of the central railway station while debris is still being cleared from their damaged state housing. In other damaged residential areas, people have completed clearing the debris on their own, but most of them are still living in tents.
The Independent
4 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Many survivors of Myanmar's devastating quake in March still live in leaky tents
Two months after a deadly earthquake ravaged much of central and northeastern Myanmar, recovery is just inching along, with huge numbers of people living in temporary shelters while facing the heavy rainfall and strong winds of monsoon season. The 7.7 magnitude March 28 quake caused significant damage to six regions and states, including the capital Naypyitaw and Mandalay, the country's second-largest city. The confirmed death toll from the disaster has reached 3,740, with 5,104 injured, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar reported on Friday. Bodies are still being found As the task of rebuilding grinds along, the grim work of recovering the dead is continuing. The Myanmar Fire Services Department said on its Facebook page this week that its teams had recovered four bodies from the rubble of the collapsed buildings of the Sky Villa Condominium in Mandalay on Tuesday and Wednesday. More than 100 bodies have been recovered from the condominium site and search operations will continue as more bodies are believed to be buried under debris, an official of the Myanmar Rescue Federation (Mandalay), which works with the firefighters, told The Associated Press on Friday. He asked not to be named because he fears arrest for speaking without authorization. Myanmar has a major ongoing humanitarian crisis Humanitarian needs in Myanmar have reached record levels, with 19.9 million people identified as needing assistance, and an additional 2 million in urgent need following the quake, said a report issued on May 23 by OCHA, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Myanmar already plunged into turmoil in 2021, when the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, which triggered nationwide nonviolent pro-democracy protests that escalated into armed resistance and what now amounts to a civil war. 'Myanmar continues to face significant humanitarian challenges, driven by recurrent disasters, persistent conflict, and grave protection risks, with an estimated 3.5 million people displaced across the country,' OCHA said. Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the head of Myanmar's military government, said at a Thursday fund-raising ceremony for disaster relief that more than half a million people from 2,081 villages were affected by the quake, the Global New Light of Myanmar reported Hundreds of roads and bridges were damaged or destroyed and more than 700 hospitals and clinics also suffered varying levels of damage, according to his figures. Many survivors are still in inadequate temporary housing Shelter is a major problem, even as people leave temporary camps to return home. The official from Myanmar Rescue Federation (Mandalay) said about half of the disaster victims who were sheltering in camps have returned to temporary accommodations built on land where their homes once stood. Aung Kyaw, who supervises recovery activities in Hmike Su ward in Mandalay's Amarapura township, told The Associated Press on Friday that more than 150 people from his ward were still living in roadside shelters in tarpaulin tents He said they were suffering due to strong winds and constant rain for days, and urgently need metal roofing. 'I need iron sheets for a roof to build a shelter on my land. I would be satisfied just to be able to safely sleep at my house,' said Aung Kyaw, whose home was destroyed. 'I don't want to badger for anything else. Now we are just sitting in the rain." He said the people living in temporary shelters will also likely face floods due to heavy monsoon rains in the coming months. In Naypyitaw, the capital, government personnel have moved to modular low-cost prefabricated buildings built around the compound of the central railway station while debris is still being cleared from their damaged state housing. In other damaged residential areas, people have completed clearing the debris on their own, but most of them are still living in tents.
Arab Times
07-04-2025
- Climate
- Arab Times
Forecast of a week of rain adds to woes faced by victims of Myanmar quake
BANGKOK, April 7, (AP): People in Myanmar's earthquake-stricken areas braced for thunderstorms late Sunday, after heavy rains and winds the previous night disrupted rescue and relief operations and added to the misery of the many who lost their homes in the disaster and were forced to sleep in the open. Myanmar's state-run MRTV reported on Sunday evening that scattered showers and thunderstorms possible across the country for the next week. "The public is advised to be aware of the possibility of untimely rain accompanied by strong winds, lightning, hail, and landslides,' MRTV said. Daytime temperatures are forecast to reach 38 degrees Celsius C (100 degrees Fahrenheit) by mid-week. The epicenter of the 7.7 magnitude quake on March 28 was near Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city. It hit a wide swath of the country, causing significant damage to six regions and states including the capital Naypyitaw. Maj Gen Zaw Min Tun, a spokesperson for the military government, said Sunday in an audio message to journalists that 3,564 people have been confirmed dead so far, with 5,012 others injured and 210 missing. The quake left many areas without power, telephone or cell connections and damaged roads and bridges, hindering damage assessments. An official from Myanmar Rescue Federation (Mandalay) told The Associated Press on Sunday that rescuers had to temporarily shut down electrical equipment and machines used in search operations due to the rain on Saturday and Sunday, making work more difficult but not halting it. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was afraid of being arrested by the military for speaking without authorization, said rescuers will continue search operations despite the possibility of more rain. Another rescuer working in Mandalay, similarly speaking on condition of anonymity, said the rain and strong winds caused some buildings to collapse, causing further hardship for those seeking shelter. The Irrawaddy, an online Myanmar news site operating in exile, reported that at least 80 dead bodies were found in the wreckage of the Great Wall Hotel in Mandalay after the removal of walls and rubble on Sunday afternoon. Its report could not immediately be confirmed. Myanmar Fire Services Department said in a statement on Sunday that rescuers recovered five bodies from collapsed buildings in Mandalay.
CBS News
06-04-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Myanmar earthquake death toll tops 3,500, with heavy rain forecast to continue
People in Myanmar's earthquake -stricken areas braced for thunderstorms late Sunday, after heavy rains and winds the previous night disrupted rescue and relief operations and added to the misery of the many who lost their homes in the disaster and were forced to sleep in the open. Myanmar's state-run MRTV reported on Sunday evening that scattered showers and thunderstorms possible across the country for the next week. "The public is advised to be aware of the possibility of untimely rain accompanied by strong winds, lightning, hail, and landslides," MRTV said. Daytime temperatures are forecast to reach 38 degrees Celsius C by mid-week. The epicenter of the 7.7 magnitude quake on March 28 was near Mandalay , Myanmar's second-largest city. It hit a wide swath of the country, causing significant damage to six regions and states including the capital Naypyitaw . Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, a spokesperson for the military government, said Sunday in an audio message to journalists that 3,564 people have been confirmed dead so far, with 5,012 others injured and 210 missing. The quake left many areas without power, telephone or cell connections and damaged roads and bridges, hindering damage assessments. An official from Myanmar Rescue Federation (Mandalay) told The Associated Press on Sunday that rescuers had to temporarily shut down electrical equipment and machines used in search operations due to the rain on Saturday and Sunday, making work more difficult but not halting it. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was afraid of being arrested by the military for speaking without authorization, said rescuers will continue search operations despite the possibility of more rain. Another rescuer working in Mandalay, similarly speaking on condition of anonymity, said the rain and strong winds caused some buildings to collapse, causing further hardship for those seeking shelter. The Irrawaddy, an online Myanmar news site operating in exile, reported that at least 80 dead bodies were found in the wreckage of the Great Wall Hotel in Mandalay after the removal of walls and rubble on Sunday afternoon. Its report could not immediately be confirmed. Myanmar Fire Services Department said in a statement on Sunday that rescuers recovered five bodies from collapsed buildings in Mandalay. Myanmar has had a military government since February 2021, when the army ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. It tolerates no criticism, and is engaged in a civil war against pro-democracy resistance forces and ethnic minority guerrilla armies. The earthquake left many areas without power, telephone or cell connections and damaged roads and bridges, making the full extent of the devastation hard to assess. Myanmar's military government has said 5,223 buildings, 1,824 schools, 2,752 Buddhist monasterial living quarters, 4,817 pagodas and temples , 167 hospitals and clinics, 169 bridges, 198 dams and 184 sections of the country's main highway were damaged by the earthquake.
Los Angeles Times
06-04-2025
- Climate
- Los Angeles Times
Rain forecast adds to woes after Myanmar quake, as death toll tops 3,500
BANGKOK — People in Myanmar's earthquake-stricken areas braced for thunderstorms late Sunday, after heavy rains and winds the previous night disrupted rescue and relief operations and added to the misery of the many who lost their homes in the disaster and were forced to sleep in the open. Myanmar's state-run MRTV reported Sunday evening that scattered showers and thunderstorms were possible across the country for the next week, with severe heat also in the forecast. 'The public is advised to be aware of the possibility of untimely rain accompanied by strong winds, lightning, hail and landslides,' MRTV said. Daytime temperatures are forecast to reach 100 degrees by midweek. The epicenter of the magnitude 7.7 quake on March 28 was near Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city. It hit a wide swath of the country, causing significant damage to six regions and states including the capital, Naypyidaw. Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, a spokesperson for the military government, said Sunday in an audio message to journalists that 3,564 people have been confirmed dead so far, with 5,012 others injured and 210 missing. The quake left many areas without power, telephone or cell connections and damaged roads and bridges, hindering damage assessments. An official from Myanmar Rescue Federation (Mandalay) told the Associated Press on Sunday that rescuers had to temporarily shut down electrical equipment and machines used in search operations because of the rain Saturday and Sunday, which would make their work more difficult but wouldn't halt it. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was afraid of being arrested by the military government for speaking without authorization, said rescuers would continue search operations despite the rainy forecast. Another rescuer working in Mandalay, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said the rain and strong winds caused some buildings to collapse, causing further hardship for those seeking shelter. The Irrawaddy, an online Myanmar news site operating in exile, reported that at least 80 bodies were found in the wreckage of the Great Wall Hotel in Mandalay after the removal of walls and rubble Sunday afternoon. Its report could not immediately be confirmed. Myanmar Fire Services Department said in a statement Sunday that rescuers recovered five bodies from collapsed buildings in Mandalay. Myanmar has had a military government since February 2021, when the army ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. It tolerates no criticism, and is engaged in a civil war against pro-democracy resistance forces and ethnic minority guerrilla armies. Myanmar's military government has said 5,223 buildings were damaged in the earthquake in addition to 1,824 schools, 2,752 Buddhist monasterial living quarters, 4,817 pagodas and temples, 167 hospitals and clinics, 169 bridges, 198 dams and 184 sections of the country's main highway. Peck writes for the Associated Press.
