Myanmar Earthquake Recovery Faces New Challenges as Rescue Efforts Wind Down
As Myanmar tries to recover from the devastating earthquake that struck on March 28, the tone on the ground is shifting. The frantic search for survivors is slowly giving way to a grim new reality: rebuilding from one of the most destructive disasters the country has ever seen.
The earthquake, officially dubbed “The Big Mandalay Earthquake,” measured a massive 7.7 in magnitude and tore through large swaths of the country, affecting six major regions and states. Entire communities were left in ruins. Roads crumbled, bridges collapsed, and power lines went down. For days, many towns and villages were completely cut off — no electricity, no cell service, no way to call for help.
According to Myanmar’s military government, more than 3,600 people have been confirmed dead, with over 5,000 injured and at least 160 still missing. And the numbers are still climbing.
The Human Toll: Families Torn Apart
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) issued a situation report late Monday, warning of the massive scale of the crisis. More than 17.2 million people are now living in the earthquake-affected areas. The needs are urgent and overwhelming — food, clean drinking water, shelter, healthcare, and basic cash assistance are all in short supply.
“Entire communities have been upended,” the report said. “People are sheltering in makeshift tents, markets are disrupted, and essential services — including running water, sanitation, and medical care — are on the brink of collapse.”
Worse still, survivors are now exposed to Myanmar’s hottest and driest season. As the heat climbs, the first rains have already hit Mandalay, creating dangerous conditions for those still sleeping outside without proper shelter.
A Race Against Time and Nature
In the capital city of Naypyitaw, residents were seen salvaging wood and materials from damaged homes. Under light rain, they worked through the debris, trying to build some form of temporary shelter. Soldiers joined the effort, clearing out wreckage from some of the city's Buddhist monasteries.
International rescue crews — including teams from Singapore, Malaysia, and India — initially rushed in to help, but as of Monday, most have returned home. Officials say those missions are winding down now that it's clear there are fewer chances of finding more survivors in the rubble.
According to the Myanmar Fire Services Department, 10 more bodies were recently pulled from the ruins of a collapsed building in Mandalay, the country's second-largest city. Even now, some are holding out hope for miracles, but the focus is rapidly turning to relief and recovery operations.
International Rescue Stats
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Countries involved: 20
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Total personnel: 1,738
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Survivors rescued: 653
A Political Powder Keg in the Middle of a Crisis
But amid the devastation, there’s another layer of crisis unfolding — Myanmar's long-running civil conflict is flaring up again, even as the country tries to rally its limited resources for earthquake recovery.
Myanmar has been in chaos since the military overthrew the elected government in 2021, sparking mass protests that escalated into a full-blown civil war. While both the military and the opposition forces declared temporary ceasefires in light of the earthquake, those agreements appear to be unraveling fast.
The shadow opposition government — the National Unity Government (NUG) — had declared a ceasefire and instructed its armed wing, the People’s Defense Force, to pause offensive actions for two weeks. On April 1, the Three Brotherhood Alliance, made up of three powerful ethnic armed groups, also agreed to halt hostilities.
Even the military announced a temporary ceasefire shortly after.
But on the ground? The fighting never really stopped.
Fighting Continues Despite Ceasefires
Reports continue to come in of aerial bombings, artillery fire, and skirmishes in various parts of the country — particularly in remote regions that are hard for journalists and international observers to access.
Independent media and eyewitnesses blame the military for violating its own ceasefire. The Arakan Army and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, both part of the Three Brotherhood Alliance, have accused the military of launching fresh attacks.
On the other side, the military claims it is being targeted by the resistance, not the other way around. In an audio message, military spokesperson Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun accused groups like the Karen National Union, the Kachin Independence Army, and the NUG’s forces of launching assaults despite the ceasefire.
“We’re focused on providing relief to earthquake survivors,” he said. “But let me be clear: we are being attacked even now. Ceasefires are being violated, and we must defend ourselves.”
According to the NUG, since the earthquake, the military has carried out 63 airstrikes and artillery attacks, killing 68 civilians — including one child and 15 women.
The Political Blame Game
So now, instead of a united national response to a humanitarian catastrophe, Myanmar is seeing its leaders play the blame game — all while civilians suffer.
The bitter irony? Some of the hardest-hit areas are also hotbeds of political resistance. This overlap of natural disaster and armed conflict has made it nearly impossible for aid to reach where it's needed most.
And yet, people are doing what they can to survive.
On the Ground in Mandalay and Beyond
In Mandalay and surrounding areas, the scene is heartbreaking: families digging through rubble for lost relatives, others setting up makeshift kitchens to feed the homeless. Aid organizations are doing their best to deliver supplies, but the challenges are enormous.
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Roads are destroyed or blocked.
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Power grids are down.
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Cell networks are patchy or completely gone.
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Transportation is limited.
And for those living in rural areas? The situation is even worse. Many villages haven’t seen any aid at all.
One OCHA representative called it “a perfect storm of crisis — natural disaster layered on top of political instability.”
What Comes Next?
As the immediate search and rescue phase ends, the focus will now shift toward rebuilding — homes, infrastructure, lives. But with a fragile ceasefire and political tensions still simmering, the path ahead looks steep and uncertain.
For now, humanitarian organizations are urging the international community to step up — not just with donations, but with political pressure to enforce ceasefires and ensure aid gets where it needs to go.
Because as the dust settles, one thing is clear: this disaster may have shaken the ground, but it’s the chaos above it that continues to endanger lives.
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