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First Post
28-04-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Myanmar marks one month since devastating quake amid ongoing bombardments
The magnitude-7.7 tremor was the strongest with an epicentre on Myanmar's land mass since 1912, the United States Geological Survey reported, killing nearly 3,800 according to an official toll still rising daily read more Myanmar marked one month since suffering its fiercest earthquake in more than a century on Monday, with military bombardments unabated despite a humanitarian truce as thousands of survivors camp in makeshift shelters. The magnitude-7.7 tremor was the strongest with an epicentre on Myanmar's land mass since 1912, the United States Geological Survey reported, killing nearly 3,800 according to an official toll still rising daily. Devastation centred on the second most populous city of Mandalay where apartments, tea shops, hotels and religious institutes were razed or heavily damaged. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'It's been a month but we are still very busy trying to get back what we lost,' said one Mandalay resident who asked to remain anonymous. 'I am not the only one still in difficulty, it's everyone around me as well.' With tens of thousands people still homeless as monsoon season approaches, aid agencies are warning of major challenges to come. 'People are extremely concerned about what will happen in the next few weeks,' the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Myanmar chief Nadia Khoury told AFP. Meanwhile she said the organisation was planning a two-year relief plan because 'the geographical magnitude of this earthquake has been absolutely huge'. Air strikes go on The military – which sparked a civil war by snatching power in a 2021 coup – declared a ceasefire to spur relief efforts starting on April 2. But since then monitors from the Britain-based Centre for Information Resilience have logged 65 air attacks by the junta. A strike on Wednesday killed five people and wounded eight more in a village on the outskirts of the town of Tabayin, residents told AFP, 100 kilometres (62 miles) northwest of the earthquake's epicentre. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I managed to hide immediately after I heard explosions but my elder sister couldn't,' said 40-year-old Ko Aung. 'She ran randomly in a panic during the strike and a piece of shrapnel hit her head. She died on the spot.' Cho Tint, 46, said she sheltered in a cow shed as a fighter jet dropped two bombs. 'The military announced a ceasefire for the quake but they broke it already and are still attacking civilians,' she said. 'That's them crossing the line.' In eastern Myanmar residents also said they were forced from their homes in an offensive by opposition armed groups attempting to seize towns on a lucrative trade route to Thailand during the truce, due to last until Wednesday. After four years of war, half the population were already living in poverty and 3.5 million were displaced before the quake, which sheared the ground up to six metres (20 feet) in places according to NASA analysis. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Khoury said some of the badly-hit regions already had a high level of humanitarian need because they were hosting people displaced by fighting. 'Now it's become even higher with this earthquake,' she said. Ahead of the tremor the nation of more than 50 million was also bracing for the impact of international aid cuts following US President Donald Trump's campaign to slash Washington's humanitarian budget. The World Food Programme had said it would cut off one million from vital food aid starting in April as a result of 'critical funding shortfalls'.
Straits Times
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Myanmar marks month of misery since historic quake
The magnitude-7.7 tremor was the strongest with an epicentre on Myanmar's land mass since 1912. PHOTO: AFP Yangon - Myanmar marked one month since suffering its fiercest earthquake in more than a century on April 28, with military bombardments unabated despite a humanitarian truce as thousands of survivors camp in makeshift shelters. The magnitude-7.7 tremor was the strongest with an epicentre on Myanmar's land mass since 1912, the United States Geological Survey reported, killing nearly 3,800 according to an official toll still rising daily. Devastation centred on the second most populous city of Mandalay where apartments, tea shops, hotels and religious institutes were razed or heavily damaged. 'It's been a month but we are still very busy trying to get back what we lost,' said one Mandalay resident who asked to remain anonymous. 'I am not the only one still in difficulty, it's everyone around me as well.' With tens of thousands people still homeless as monsoon season approaches, aid agencies are warning of major challenges to come. 'People are extremely concerned about what will happen in the next few weeks,' the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Myanmar chief Nadia Khoury told AFP. Meanwhile she said the organisation was planning a two-year relief plan because 'the geographical magnitude of this earthquake has been absolutely huge'. Air strikes go on The military – which sparked a civil war by snatching power in a 2021 coup – declared a ceasefire to spur relief efforts starting on April 2. But since then monitors from the Britain-based Centre for Information Resilience have logged 65 air attacks by the junta. A strike on April 23 killed five people and wounded eight more in a village on the outskirts of the town of Tabayin, residents told AFP, 100km northwest of the earthquake's epicentre. 'I managed to hide immediately after I heard explosions but my elder sister couldn't,' said 40-year-old Ko Aung. 'She ran randomly in a panic during the strike and a piece of shrapnel hit her head. She died on the spot.' Ms Cho Tint, 46, said she sheltered in a cow shed as a fighter jet dropped two bombs. 'The military announced a ceasefire for the quake but they broke it already and are still attacking civilians,' she said. 'That's them crossing the line.' A man works among the debris at the collapsed market in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, on April 24. PHOTO: EPA-EFE In eastern Myanmar residents also said they were forced from their homes in an offensive by opposition armed groups attempting to seize towns on a lucrative trade route to Thailand during the truce, due to last until April 30. After four years of war, half the population were already living in poverty and 3.5 million were displaced before the quake, which sheared the ground up to 6m in places according to Nasa analysis. Ms Khoury said some of the badly-hit regions already had a high level of humanitarian need because they were hosting people displaced by fighting. 'Now it's become even higher with this earthquake,' she said. Ahead of the tremor the nation of more than 50 million was also bracing for the impact of international aid cuts following US President Donald Trump's campaign to slash Washington's humanitarian budget. The World Food Programme had said it would cut off one million from vital food aid starting in April as a result of 'critical funding shortfalls'. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Myanmar marks month of misery since historic quake
Devastation centred on the second most populous city of Mandalay (Sai Aung MAIN) (Sai Aung MAIN/AFP/AFP) Myanmar marked one month since suffering its fiercest earthquake in more than a century on Monday, with military bombardments unabated despite a humanitarian truce as thousands of survivors camp in makeshift shelters. The magnitude-7.7 tremor was the strongest with an epicentre on Myanmar's land mass since 1912, the United States Geological Survey reported, killing nearly 3,800 according to an official toll still rising daily. Devastation centred on the second most populous city of Mandalay where apartments, tea shops, hotels and religious institutes were razed or heavily damaged. "It's been a month but we are still very busy trying to get back what we lost," said one Mandalay resident who asked to remain anonymous. ADVERTISEMENT "I am not the only one still in difficulty, it's everyone around me as well." With tens of thousands people still homeless as monsoon season approaches, aid agencies are warning of major challenges to come. "People are extremely concerned about what will happen in the next few weeks," the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Myanmar chief Nadia Khoury told AFP. Meanwhile she said the organisation was planning a two-year relief plan because "the geographical magnitude of this earthquake has been absolutely huge". - Air strikes go on - The military -- which sparked a civil war by snatching power in a 2021 coup -- declared a ceasefire to spur relief efforts starting on April 2. But since then monitors from the Britain-based Centre for Information Resilience have logged 65 air attacks by the junta. ADVERTISEMENT A strike on Wednesday killed five people and wounded eight more in a village on the outskirts of the town of Tabayin, residents told AFP, 100 kilometres (62 miles) northwest of the earthquake's epicentre. "I managed to hide immediately after I heard explosions but my elder sister couldn't," said 40-year-old Ko Aung. "She ran randomly in a panic during the strike and a piece of shrapnel hit her head. She died on the spot." Cho Tint, 46, said she sheltered in a cow shed as a fighter jet dropped two bombs. "The military announced a ceasefire for the quake but they broke it already and are still attacking civilians," she said. "That's them crossing the line." In eastern Myanmar residents also said they were forced from their homes in an offensive by opposition armed groups attempting to seize towns on a lucrative trade route to Thailand during the truce, due to last until Wednesday. ADVERTISEMENT After four years of war, half the population were already living in poverty and 3.5 million were displaced before the quake, which sheared the ground up to six metres (20 feet) in places according to NASA analysis. Khoury said some of the badly-hit regions already had a high level of humanitarian need because they were hosting people displaced by fighting. "Now it's become even higher with this earthquake," she said. Ahead of the tremor the nation of more than 50 million was also bracing for the impact of international aid cuts following US President Donald Trump's campaign to slash Washington's humanitarian budget. The World Food Programme had said it would cut off one million from vital food aid starting in April as a result of "critical funding shortfalls". bur-jts/pdw/rsc
France 24
28-04-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Myanmar marks month of misery since historic quake
The magnitude-7.7 tremor was the strongest with an epicentre on Myanmar's land mass since 1912, the United States Geological Survey reported, killing nearly 3,800 according to an official toll still rising daily. Devastation centred on the second most populous city of Mandalay where apartments, tea shops, hotels and religious institutes were razed or heavily damaged. "It's been a month but we are still very busy trying to get back what we lost," said one Mandalay resident who asked to remain anonymous. "I am not the only one still in difficulty, it's everyone around me as well." With tens of thousands people still homeless as monsoon season approaches, aid agencies are warning of major challenges to come. "People are extremely concerned about what will happen in the next few weeks," the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Myanmar chief Nadia Khoury told AFP. Meanwhile she said the organisation was planning a two-year relief plan because "the geographical magnitude of this earthquake has been absolutely huge". Air strikes go on The military -- which sparked a civil war by snatching power in a 2021 coup -- declared a ceasefire to spur relief efforts starting on April 2. But since then monitors from the Britain-based Centre for Information Resilience have logged 65 air attacks by the junta. A strike on Wednesday killed five people and wounded eight more in a village on the outskirts of the town of Tabayin, residents told AFP, 100 kilometres (62 miles) northwest of the earthquake's epicentre. "I managed to hide immediately after I heard explosions but my elder sister couldn't," said 40-year-old Ko Aung. "She ran randomly in a panic during the strike and a piece of shrapnel hit her head. She died on the spot." Cho Tint, 46, said she sheltered in a cow shed as a fighter jet dropped two bombs. "The military announced a ceasefire for the quake but they broke it already and are still attacking civilians," she said. "That's them crossing the line." In eastern Myanmar residents also said they were forced from their homes in an offensive by opposition armed groups attempting to seize towns on a lucrative trade route to Thailand during the truce, due to last until Wednesday. After four years of war, half the population were already living in poverty and 3.5 million were displaced before the quake, which sheared the ground up to six metres (20 feet) in places according to NASA analysis. Khoury said some of the badly-hit regions already had a high level of humanitarian need because they were hosting people displaced by fighting. "Now it's become even higher with this earthquake," she said. Ahead of the tremor the nation of more than 50 million was also bracing for the impact of international aid cuts following US President Donald Trump's campaign to slash Washington's humanitarian budget. The World Food Programme had said it would cut off one million from vital food aid starting in April as a result of "critical funding shortfalls".
Khaleej Times
16-04-2025
- Climate
- Khaleej Times
Downpours drench homeless survivors of Myanmar deadly quake
Heavy rains have lashed the Myanmar region stricken by last month's earthquake, aid officials said on Wednesday, drenching homeless survivors and bogging down relief efforts. Some 60,000 people are living in tent encampments in central Myanmar, according to the UN, three weeks after a 7.7-magnitude tremor damaged and destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 3,700 people. Downpours around 7:00 pm on Tuesday flooded streets and camps in and around Mandalay, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said. The city — Myanmar's second most populous — suffered heavy damage in the March 28 disaster with apartment blocks collapsed, religious institutes demolished and hotels razed by the shallow quake. AFP journalists in Mandalay over the weekend saw hundreds of people living under plastic gazebos and draped tarpaulins, perched on cardboard in makeshift homes that offered little protection from the elements. "When these downpours happen the conditions just get really worse," IFRC Myanmar delegation chief Nadia Khoury told AFP. Myanmar is in the midst of its "Thingyan" festival which typically celebrates the new year with water-splashing rituals symbolising cleansing and renewal. But celebrations have been muted as the nation mourns, while relief workers and homeless families are fretting over the summer's oncoming monsoon season. "The conditions are challenging. We are worried about the rains arriving," said Khoury, who has visited the worst affected sites -- where the IFRC is working with the Myanmar Red Cross -- for the past two days. "This effort needs to be as fast as possible, to get people into some form of permanent shelter, with good sanitary facilities and drinking water." Myanmar's central belt is blanketed by at least two and a half million tonnes of debris, according to the UN, which says two million people have been pushed into "critical need of assistance and protection". Many homes remain standing but have suffered cracks, with families too fearful to return as the region is still rattled by regular aftershocks. Daytime temperatures have soared as high as 44 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit), piling more misery on survivors in the country which is also beset by a brutal civil war following a 2021 coup.
