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WHO: earthquake has ‘overwhelmed healthcare facilities’ in Myanmar, with three hospitals reported destroyed
The World Health Organization has documented the destruction of three hospitals and reported that 22 others have sustained partial damage following the earthquake that struck on Friday.
“The full extent of casualties remains unclear, and the figures are anticipated to rise,” the United Nations agency indicated, as noted by Associated Press.
The assertion continued:
The aftermath of the earthquake has significantly burdened healthcare systems in the impacted regions, where facilities are struggling to accommodate a surge in injured individuals. There is an immediate demand for trauma and surgical assistance, blood supplies, anesthetics, essential medications, and mental health resources.
Previously, the WHO issued an urgent appeal for $8 million (£6.1 million / €7.4 million) to provide emergency assistance.
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According to Reuters, referencing Chinese news agency Xinhua, four individuals have been rescued from the rubble in Mandalay, Myanmar, near the epicenter of the earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale.
Yue Xin, the leader of a Chinese search and rescue team dispatched to provide aid, stated, “The duration of our work doesn’t matter. The crucial point is to restore hope to the local populace.”
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In an interview with the BBC, a resident from the Pyigyitagon area of Mandalay expressed feelings of despair and helplessness.
Ruate, who spoke only under his first name, shared, “Since the earthquake struck on Friday, we’ve been too uneasy to sleep in our own home. Power is out and supplies are dwindling. Just yesterday, we witnessed bodies being pulled from collapsed structures in our neighborhood. It’s a very sobering experience. We feel hopeless and helpless.”
WHO: earthquake has ‘overwhelmed healthcare facilities’ in Myanmar, with three hospitals reported destroyed
The World Health Organization has documented the destruction of three hospitals and reported that 22 others have sustained partial damage following the earthquake that struck on Friday.
“The full extent of casualties remains unclear, and the figures are anticipated to rise,” the United Nations agency stated, as reported by Associated Press.
The assertion continued:
The magnitude of the earthquake has overwhelmed healthcare resources in the affected areas, where facilities are finding it challenging to cope with the increasing number of injured. An urgent requirement exists for trauma and surgical care, blood transfusion resources, anesthetics, critical medications, and mental health support.
The WHO previously made an urgent appeal for $8 million (£6.1 million / €7.4 million) for emergency assistance.
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AFP has connected with relatives who are anxiously gathered at a collapsed building site in Bangkok.
Daodee Paruay mentioned that she has remained at the site for two days, clinging to the hope of a miracle for her brother, an electrician believed to be trapped beneath the rubble. “We wait, we wait,” she stated.
Naruemol Thonglek was also present, hoping for the safe return of her boyfriend. She recounted to AFP that she had lit incense and candles while praying fervently, asking her boyfriend to let rescuers know if he was alive. “If you can hear my voice, if you’re still alive, please shout and let the officials know,” she pleaded.
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Recent reports detail the ongoing consequences of Friday’s earthquake in Thailand, with at least 18 fatalities confirmed, 33 injured, and 78 individuals still missing in Bangkok.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has visited the area surrounding a collapsed building in Bangkok.
Rescue workers have recovered bodies from the site of the under-construction building collapse that occurred on March 31.
Additionally, a K9 rescue dog named “Safari” has been aiding the search for missing individuals amongst the rubble in Bangkok.
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Reuters reports that Bangkok’s deputy governor, Tavida Kamolvej, confirmed a vital sign was detected in the debris of the high-rise building collapsed during last week’s earthquake.
As reported by Associated Press, at the U Hla Thein monastery in Mandalay, 270 monks were present for a religious examination when the earthquake occurred.
Rescue personnel stated that while 70 monks managed to escape, 50 bodies have been recovered, and the fate of 150 others remains uncertain.
News outlet AFP has engaged with individuals gathered for Eid prayers in Mandalay on Monday.
Witnesses reported that the minaret of the Sajja South mosque in the predominantly Muslim neighborhood of Mawyagiwah collapsed during the quake, claiming the lives of 14 children and two adults. Earlier, a Myanmar Muslim organization indicated that more than 700 worshipers encountered fatalities during the tremor as it coincided with Friday prayers.
Win Thiri Aung, a 26-year-old local, conveyed to AFP, “Under normal circumstances, Eid is filled with joy. This year, however, we feel weighed down. It is a trial from Allah, reminding us to seek his guidance.”
Aung Myint Hussein, the chief administrator of the Sajja North mosque, expressed that, “We must pray in the streets, overwhelmed by sadness and loss. The devastation is so profound that words cannot adequately describe our circumstances. The destruction we have witnessed feels as if our lives have been irrevocably altered by these series of tremors.”
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In an analysis by my colleague Archie Bland, the focus shifts to how the devastating earthquake impacts Myanmar, highlighting the interplay of political and military dynamics that have intensified the crisis. Here are some key points …
Many affected regions struggle with inadequate communication, a lingering consequence of the ongoing civil conflict, which has left numerous areas beyond the regulation of the ruling military junta.
Issues surrounding communication have persisted long before this disaster: the military government has restricted internet access and social media as part of measures to quell dissent. Furthermore, hundreds of telecommunications towers managed by a military-run company, Mytel, were destroyed in clashes following the February 2021 coup that reinstated military control.
In recent days, even the government’s official websites have been inaccessible. Communication lines are down, complicating coordination for rescue operations, and power restoration may take several days.
As the extent of the disaster becomes clearer, Brazil’s Junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, made an unusually rare appeal for international aid—a stark contrast to responses during past disasters, such as Cyclone Nargis in 2008, which caused over 100,000 fatalities.
You can read more here: Monday briefing – How a devastating natural disaster has been made worse by Myanmar’s brutal civil war
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Recent imagery highlights the ongoing rescue efforts following Friday’s earthquake in Myanmar, which has resulted in over 1,700 confirmed fatalities.
A view of the destruction in Mandalay following the severe earthquake.
Rescuers transporting a recovered body of a Buddhist monk from the U Hla Thein Buddhist monastery in Mandalay. Photograph: Nyein Chan Naing/EPAPatients receiving care on makeshift beds at Mandalay general hospital as of Monday, March 31. Photograph: Sai Aung Main/AFP/Getty Images
A glimpse of the damage at the Ottara Thiri hospital post-earthquake in Naypyidaw, Myanmar. Photograph: Aung Shine Oo/AP
Official death toll at over 1,700 as 60 mosques reported destroyed or damaged
A Myanmar Muslim organization has reported that over 700 worshippers perished when the 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck the nation during the Friday prayer times in Ramadan. The military government’s official death toll currently stands at 1,700, according to reports from Associated Press.
Clarity is lacking regarding whether the 700 fatalities reported by the Spring Revolution Myanmar Muslim Network are included in the government figures released by spokesperson Maj Gen Zaw Min Tun on state television.
The administration cites approximately 3,400 injuries and notes that over 300 individuals remain unaccounted for. In a rare moment of optimism, a woman trapped beneath the debris of a hotel building for nearly 60 hours was extricated alive on Monday.
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World Health Organization issues flash appeal for $8m in humanitarian aid for Myanmar
The World Health Organization (WHO) has made an urgent appeal for $8 million (£6.1 million / €7.4 million) to assist in emergency relief efforts in Myanmar, following the devastating earthquake that has resulted in at least 1,700 deaths according to official statistics.
In their statement, the organization indicated:
Two significant earthquakes have ravaged central Myanmar, disrupting healthcare services and placing thousands at risk of severe injuries and potential disease outbreaks. The WHO is responding at its peak emergency activation level—deploying nearly three tons of medical supplies within a day and arranging global emergency medical teams. An urgent requirement for $8 million is essential to provide life-saving trauma care, avert disease outbreaks, and reinstate critical health services over the upcoming 30 days.
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Welcome and opening summary …
This article presents ongoing coverage regarding the humanitarian ramifications of the earthquake that struck Myanmar last week. Below are the key updates …
The death toll from the 7.7-magnitude quake that occurred on Friday has now exceeded 1,700 and has devastated large areas of the Southeast Asian country, as reported by officials.
According to a Myanmar Muslim organization, more than 700 worshippers lost their lives during the earthquake, which coincided with Friday prayers. Approximately 60 mosques are reported damaged or destroyed. It remains unclear whether the figure of 700 provided by the Spring Revolution Myanmar Muslim Network is included in the official death toll.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a flash appeal for $8 million (£6.1 million / €7.4 million) for emergency assistance in Myanmar.
Predictive assessments by the US Geological Survey estimate that Myanmar’s death toll may eventually exceed 10,000, with losses likely surpassing the country’s annual economic performance.
Red Cross officials have remarked that Myanmar is encountering “a level of devastation that hasn’t been seen over a century in Asia.”
In neighboring Thailand, at least 18 persons have died, and rescue operations continue at the site of a collapsed 30-storey tower in Bangkok, with 78 individuals still unaccounted for.
Rescuers managed to rescue a woman from the wreckage of a hotel in Myanmar’s Mandalay, providing a beacon of hope that more survivors may follow.
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