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Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
Following the earthquakes that struck Myanmar on 28 March, more than 9 million people (including 2.7 million children) are estimated to be living the worst affected 58 townships across Bago East, Kayin, Magway, Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw,
Shan South, and Sagaing. Of these, 6.3 million people are calculated to be in urgent need of assistance and protection – over two-thirds of which were already in a dire humanitarian situation before the earthquakes as a result of the ongoing conflict, previous climate-related disasters, displacement and economic hardship.1 As of 14 April, there were 3,655 confirmed fatalities, 129 missing persons, more than 4,800 injured people, and almost 199,000 displaced people in Mandalay region alone.2 The final toll is likely much higher, with the initial results of the more than 700 Rapid Needs Assessments that have been undertaken across 40 townships indicating many more injured and reported missing.
Aftershocks with the potential to do further damage continue. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has recorded at least 36 magnitude 3 or higher aftershocks, which are strong enough to be felt nearby, and at least 4 magnitude 5 or higher aftershocks, which are large enough to do damage. A new earthquake of 5.5 magnitude at a depth of 7.7 km occurred on the morning of 13 April (08.54 local time) in the Mandalay region of central Myanmar.
The USGS PAGER estimates that up to 86,000 people were exposed to severe shaking, while 631,000 were exposed to strong and very strong shaking.
Initial inter-agency rapid needs assessments have been completed in 40 townships across seven states and regions, including Nay Pyi Taw Union Territory. More than 857,000 people have been assessed in both urban and rural areas and their urgent needs include cash assistance, emergency shelter, food, safe drinking water and water sources for domestic use, healthcare, and sanitation support. Forty-four per cent of those assessed had yet to receive some form of assistance.
There has been widespread destruction of water systems, including broken boreholes and damaged piped networks, along with the collapse of over 76,000 latrines. There is a growing concern among communities about the risk of infectious diseases due to improperly managed corpses and the lack of access to safe water and sanitation facilities.
A cluster of mild to moderate acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) cases has been reported in Sagaing township and urban areas of Mandalay, though no cases of cholera have been confirmed to date.