Importance Score: 85 / 100 🟢
Powerful Earthquake Devastates Myanmar, Trapping Children and Overwhelming Rescue Efforts
A devastating earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday afternoon, causing widespread destruction, including in Kyaukse, south of Mandalay, where a nursery school crumbled. At Bright Kids nursery in Kyaukse, dozens of young children, aged two to four, were napping when the tremor hit, leading to the collapse of the two-story structure. Rescuers immediately began a desperate search through the debris for trapped survivors.
Rescue efforts commenced immediately, with volunteers like Thar Nge utilizing rudimentary tools, including diggers and manual implements, to clear the wreckage. Despite needing heavier machinery such as metal cutters and generators, the volunteers persevered with available resources. Thar Nge recounted carrying a rescued four-year-old girl to safety, who repeatedly begged him to save her. He offered her water before she was finally extricated from the debris. In total, twelve children and four teachers were saved from the nursery collapse. Tragically, sixteen children and one teacher were found dead at the scene. For Thar Nge, the immediate aftermath left little room for personal feelings amid the urgent rescue work.
Widespread Devastation Across Central Myanmar
Following the nursery rescue, Thar Nge’s team extended their efforts across Kyaukse, a region heavily devastated by the earthquake. Similar scenarios unfolded throughout central Myanmar, as teams of volunteers employed any means possible to free survivors. These individuals worked tirelessly, digging with their bare hands and navigating perilous collapsed structures, often lacking adequate safety equipment.
Hospitals Under Strain
Hospitals, already strained before the disaster, are now overwhelmed with the influx of injured. The military junta in Myanmar reported over 1,600 fatalities and more than 3,400 injuries resulting from the quake. Aid agencies have cautioned that the true scale of the disaster may not be fully apparent for days or even weeks.
Visuals of Widespread Destruction Emerge
Social media platforms are filled with images depicting extensive destruction across the affected regions. Historic monasteries, pagodas, and mosques in central Myanmar have been reduced to rubble or partially collapsed. The iconic wooden stilt houses around Inle Lake in Shan State have been flattened. Photos reveal widespread damage to apartment buildings, hotels, and infrastructure, including roads. Online pleas for assistance are mounting, with desperate relatives using platforms like Facebook to seek help. One man in Mandalay shared a video showing a jumble of concrete, wood, and metal, reporting his mother and children trapped underneath with no rescue teams yet arrived.
Desperate Pleas and Overwhelmed Responders
Heartbreaking scenes continue to surface, including a Facebook video of a man in Naypyidaw, Myanmar’s capital, emotionally bidding farewell to his mother, whose body remains trapped in the debris. Naypyidaw has also suffered significant damage. Rescue workers in the capital reported relentless overnight efforts, highlighting the agonizing reality of having to abandon attempts to save some individuals. One anonymous volunteer described the grim task of recovering bodies, stating, “I feel very heavy. There are still a lot of bodies to move…dig up.” Bodies are being transported to a morgue in the city, which is currently without electricity. In both Naypyidaw and Mandalay, the sheer scale of the disaster has overwhelmed available rescue teams. Thein Min Tun, a volunteer responder in Mandalay, explained, “Charity teams and youths are collaborating to do rescue works… We have to manage with the human resources we have,” emphasizing the limited resources in the face of widespread need.
Exacerbated Crisis in Conflict-Ridden Myanmar
The earthquake has further intensified the already dire situation in Myanmar, a nation embroiled in conflict since the 2021 military coup. The ongoing political instability has led to economic collapse, with the local currency plummeting and widespread food insecurity affecting millions. In a rare move, the military junta has issued an appeal for international aid. However, aid agencies caution that coordinating a effective response will be exceedingly complex. Damage to key roads, disruptions to phone and internet services, power outages, and airport closures present significant logistical hurdles. Concerns are also raised regarding the military’s track record of obstructing humanitarian aid in regions controlled by opposition groups, particularly as reports suggest continued airstrikes even after the quake.
Distrust in Junta’s Disaster Response
The military junta is currently grappling with a widespread armed opposition movement from pro-democracy groups and established ethnic armed organizations. While the junta maintains control over major cities, including Mandalay, and central areas, there is widespread distrust among the populace regarding their capacity to effectively respond to the disaster. One local resident, fearing reprisal, stated anonymously, “There’s no management or public statements from the authorities. Government services did nothing.” He recounted being at Ywar Taw mosque for Ramadan prayers when the earthquake struck, lamenting that “No one came to rescue us. We had to save people on our own.” He estimates 28 deaths across six mosques in his township, Yamethin, highlighting the particular vulnerability of mosques, some nearly a century old. He noted that the authorities, predominantly associated with the Buddhist Bamar majority, have historically restricted renovations of these structures.
Volunteers Continue Tireless Rescue Operations
Despite immense challenges, volunteers remain committed to the rescue efforts. Following the nursery collapse, Thar Nge’s team responded to further sites, including a silk store where seven were trapped, a restaurant where six bodies were found, a tea shop with two fatalities, and a market where three more bodies were recovered. Volunteers are constantly moving between rescue sites, hospitals, and even cemeteries. Han Myo Aung, another volunteer, emphasized the “overwhelming amount of work” remaining, despite diminishing chances of finding live survivors, stressing the urgent need to “demolish buildings at risk of collapsing.” The local hospital continues to accept patients, but due to the risk of aftershocks and further structural failure, patients are being treated in open spaces adjacent to the building. Despite the grim realities, volunteers found a moment of joy in rescuing the children from the nursery. However, Han Myo Aung noted that only around 10% of rescued individuals are found alive. “This situation is very difficult, trying to save people from beneath the rubble,” he said. “We have never experienced a quake like this before,” highlighting the unprecedented nature of the earthquake and its devastating impact.