On Friday, 28 March, Myanmar experienced a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake with its epicentre in the Sagaing Region, which is near the centre of Myanmar. Some minutes later, another earthquake of 6.4 magnitude followed. The tremors were intense, and felt over a thousand kilometres away in Thailand and Bangkok causing buildings to collapse and many lives lost. The earthquake impacted several other countries including India, Bangladesh, Laos and China.
A state of emergency has been declared in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Eastern Shan State, and Nay Pyi Taw – regions already facing conflict, displacement and a health system that is already under immense strain. Myanmar’s frequent exposure to severe natural disasters including cyclones, floods and droughts continues to drive health vulnerabilities. The earthquake is expected to intensify disease risks in already vulnerable communities and with the monsoon season looming, this will worsen already catastrophic conditions.
The earthquake and aftershocks have caused significant damage to public buildings including hospitals and up to 80% of their infrastructure has been destroyed near the epicentre, including two collapsed bridges. Many remote areas have been cut-off and cannot be accessed due to the damaged roads and bridges.
Over 2,700 people have been confirmed dead with numbers expected to rise, however the window for finding survivors under the rubble is narrowing with conditions in the area continuing to deteriorate. Hundreds of people are still unaccounted for, and thousands have been injured.
The immediate priorities for aid organisations are to save lives, prevent disease, and stablise and restore essential health services in the earthquake affected areas.
Your support is sought to provide help where it is needed most to protect lives in one of the most vulnerable and hard to reach humanitarian settings – the need has never been greater. The disaster has created an urgent need for emergency shelter and food for displaced families; clean water and support for hygiene and sanitation; essential medicines, health and psychosocial support, and to aid recovery and rescue efforts.
To donate to the Myanmar Earthquake Appeal and to keep up to date with the current situation in Myanmar visit Caritas.
God of mercy,
we pray for all people
affected by the earthquakes that have devastated parts of
Myanmar, Thailand, and other places.
Enfold them in your love
and console them in their grief
as they mourn the death of loved ones
and the destruction of their homes.
Strengthen and guide all those
responding to this disaster
as they seek to bring comfort and relief
in this time of sorrow and pain.
We ask this through Christ our Lord,
whose love endures forever,
Amen.
Source: Caritas Australia and United Nations
19 Brenbeal Street, Balwyn VIC 3103
Telephone: 03 9816 9291
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours:
Tue - Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm
Milroy Martyn Endeavor hills Victoria Australia says:
all we can do is pray and thank god it is not you and me who are experiencing the horrors of an earth quake the very ground shakes and you have no where to run to because where ever you run the ground is shaking let us pray that god will spare us the horror of an earthquake