31 March 2025
Humanitarian and
Resident Coordinator Marcoluigi Corsi expressed the UN’s
profound sorry at the immense loss of life stemming from
Friday’s 7.7 and 6.4 magnitude quakes with the death toll
rising to around 2,000, according to the country’s
military junta.
“The latest reports indicate
significant loss of life, widespread injuries, and many
still unaccounted for as rescue operations continue,” Mr.
Corsi said in a statement on behalf of the UN Country
Team.
Urgent support operation
continues
He stressed that the UN and
partners continue to urgently mobilise in support of the
emergency response, standing ready to assist all communities
“wherever they are”.
The earthquakes struck near
Mandalay and Sagaing, with impacts felt across Bago, Magway,
Nay Pyi Taw, and parts of Shan State. Hospitals are
overwhelmed, while communication and transport routes have
been severely disrupted.
Thousands are sleeping in the
open, fearful of aftershocks and unable to return to damaged
homes.
UN-facilitated rescue teams from around 20
countries, including sniffer dogs, paramedics and medical
supplies, supported by millions of dollars in aid, continue
to arrive in Myanmar – where millions were already
displaced by civil war, arising from the military coup of
February 2021.
Resilience further
eroded
“Even before this
earthquake, nearly 20 million people in Myanmar were in need
of humanitarian assistance,” Mr. Corsi
emphasized. “This latest tragedy compounds an
already dire crisis and risks further eroding the resilience
of communities already battered by conflict, displacement,
and past disasters.”
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The UN Humanitarian
Country Team is actively conducting rapid needs assessment
missions in coordination with UN agencies, humanitarian
partners, local authorities and community-based
organizations, paying particular attention to the needs of
women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities,
who are disproportionately affected in such
disasters.
“Beyond the immediate response, this
crisis highlights the urgent need to strengthen efforts
towards recovery and to invest in measures that help
communities withstand future shocks,” Mr. Corgi
said.
Significant UN
presence
An initial $15 million in emergency
funds has been allocated by the UN to support the lifesaving
response. Medical teams, shelter materials, and critical
water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) items are arriving –
alongside prepositioned and supplementary food
aid.
“We have a significant presence in Mandalay and
surrounding areas, and we are doing everything we can to
reach people in need despite serious logistical
challenges,” Mr. Corsi said. “But much more will be
required in the days and weeks ahead.”
More than
ever, timely support is critical to prevent further
deterioration of the crisis, he added.
The World Food
Programme (WFP) reported that it aims
to support 100,000 of the worst hit with ready-to-eat meals,
following by food and cash-for-food assistance to around
800,000 for the next month.
Ceasefire now: UN
Special Envoy
The UN Special
Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop issued a
statement on Monday saying she stands in solidarity with
the people of Myanmar.
“The earthquake has
laid bare the deeper vulnerabilities facing Myanmar’s
people and underscored the need for sustained international
attention to the broader
crisis.”
Referencing the ongoing conflict which has
seen military forces lose control of a majority of the
country to opposition armed groups amid brutal fighting and
airstrikes, she said that “all sides must urgently allow
space for humanitarian relief and ensure that aid workers
can operate in safety.”
Continuing military
operations in quake-affected areas “risks further loss of
life and undermines the shared imperative to respond,” she
continued.
Ms. Bishop called for an immediate
ceasefire by all parties, to prioritise the rescue, aid and
recovery effort, including protection of
civilians.
She said she was in close contact with
Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher and the UN Country
Team in Myanmar who are working in partnership with
neighboring countries and others, supported by the UN’s
regional and global
network.
