Powerful earthquake in Myanmar: HI teams are on the ground

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 hit central Myanmar on Friday, March 28, at 12:50 local time (6:20 UK time). Tremors were felt in Laos, Thailand, and also in China. The epicentre of the earthquake is located about sixteen kilometres from the city of Sagaing, in central Myanmar.

So far, the human toll is still unknown, but many injured people are flooding into hospitals. According to local media, the earthquake caused several bridges, buildings, and portions of the Yangon-Mandalay highway (nearly 600 kilometres long) to collapse, leading to road closures along the route.

The authorities have declared a state of emergency in six regions affected by the earthquake. The Burmese junta has also issued a call for international assistance.

"The walls started shaking; this is the longest earthquake of my life"

Kyaw Zaw Naing is HI operations manager in Myanmar. While returning from his lunch break, he recalls starting to feel everything shaking around him:

"I had just returned to my office after lunch when I felt all the walls and tables shaking intensely. I was extremely surprised because the tremors lasted a very long time. I have experienced earthquakes before, but this time, it was really long."

"With my colleagues, we decided to leave the building to take cover, and we continued to feel the ground shaking. I tried to call my family, but the phone lines were down. Thankfully, I now know they are safe."

"Here in Yangon, we are located quite far from the earthquake's epicentre, but I fear that the damage is severe in the most affected regions, and I am thinking of the families and children there. I saw that some bridges had been destroyed, and some residents are afraid of possible floods. The situation is still quite unclear at this point, but we are doing everything possible to assess the needs."

HI, present in Myanmar and throughout the region, is currently assessing the damage

HI has been present in Myanmar since 2008. HI teams in Myanmar, trained to respond in emergencies, are closely monitoring the situation and currently assessing the extent of the damage and the needs of the most vulnerable groups to consider intervention.

At this point, all HI teams and their families are safe and sound.

"In such a context, we can expect a high number of casualties, including many injured individuals with wounds, complex fractures, head injuries, spinal injuries, and amputations. In all cases, urgent intervention is necessary to assist the injured."

says Pauline Falipou, HI Emergency Rehabilitation Specialist.

"During this type of emergency, HI intervenes in hospitals that are overwhelmed with casualties. Depending on the injuries and trauma, we collaborate with emergency medical teams to ensure the best possible care for patients. Our goal is to intervene as quickly as possible in rehabilitation to prevent more serious disabilities." 

"We provide our expertise by carrying out the initial steps of rehabilitation and offering technical assistance, such as wheelchairs and crutches. We are particularly vigilant regarding the situation of the most vulnerable groups, especially people with disabilities, who may find themselves unable to escape without assistance.”

While tremors were felt in Thailand, HI’s office there has been closed in anticipation of possible aftershocks. The teams are in close contact with the Myanmar program to provide support if necessary.

Myanmar regularly affected by earthquakes

Earthquakes are relatively frequent in Myanmar, where six earthquakes with a magnitude of 7 or greater occurred between 1930 and 1956 near the Sagaing Fault, which runs through the centre of the country from north to south. This fault is caused by the movement of the Indian and Eurasian plates, and cities located along this fault are among the most exposed to earthquakes in Myanmar.

In 2016, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook the city of Bagan, in central Myanmar, killing three people and causing the collapse of the walls of the temples in this tourist destination.

In November 2012, another 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck the central region of the country, killing 26 people and injuring hundreds.