Volunteers look for survivors near a damaged building Friday, March 28, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP)
A strong earthquake hit Myanmar and Thailand on Friday, with over 1,600 people dead and more than 3,400 injured in Myanmar. The earthquake destroyed buildings, bridges, and dams, as images from two cities showed extensive damage.
Myanmar, already struggling with a four-year civil war, food shortages, and a weak economy, now faces the effects of this earthquake.
Even before the 7.7-magnitude earthquake, more than 3 million people in Myanmar had been forced to leave their homes since the military took power in 2021, as per a report by news agency Associated Press (AP). Many were cut off from food and health services due to the ongoing civil war, which international groups say has affected civilians.
Getting information from Myanmar is difficult. Mobile networks in the affected areas have been unstable since the earthquake, and many people do not have electricity or internet access. Foreign journalists are rarely allowed to enter due to restrictions on press freedom.
Air strikes continue
The Myanmar Military is continuing to carry out air strikes in areas declared states of emergency.
The military council has continued airstrikes and drone attacks after the earthquake in Myanmar, including one in the Sagaing region which has seen extensive damage and casualties from the quake.
The People’s Defence Forces – a network of pro-democracy civilian militia groups – have reported airstrikes in Chaung-U township in Sagaing near the epicentre of the devastating quake.
According to the Chaung U Township People’s Defense Force, Nwe Khway village in the Chaung U township, Sagaing, was bombed twice.
The other two strikes were at Ley Wah, in Kayin state, near the Karen National Union headquarters, and at Pyu in the Bago Region.
David Eubank from the humanitarian resistance group the Free Burma Rangers told the BBC that “since the earthquake there’s been three air strikes in southern Shan state and Kareni last night. So, they are not stopping.”
The country has seen decades of unrest and military rule since its independence from Britain in 1948.
In 2011, it appeared to move away from this and free elections were held four years later, which Aung San Suu Kyi won.
Democratic hopes were dashed in 2021, when she and her government were overthrown by a coup led by General Min Aung Hlaing.
The coup triggered huge protests, with thousands taking to the streets daily, demanding the restoration of civilian rule. Violence quickly escalated as the civil disobedience movement turned into an armed resistance involving ethnic rebel groups and pro-democracy forces. This led to a full-scale civil war.
About Myanmar
Myanmar, previously called Burma, has been in crisis since the military took control from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, 2021. This led to widespread opposition.
Initially, peaceful protests were met with force. Later, many opponents of military rule took up arms. Large parts of the country are now involved in conflict.
Another factor in Myanmar’s political situation is the role of China. China is believed to have quietly supported a late 2023 military operation aimed at stopping organized crime near its border.
How Myanmar reached here
Myanmar has experienced years of military rule and unrest since gaining independence from Britain in 1948. The country has faced instability for decades, ever since gaining independence from Britain in 1948. Military rule, civil wars, and economic hardship have shaped its history.
In 2011, it seemed to move towards democracy. In 2015, elections were held, and Aung San Suu Kyi won.
However, in 2021, the military, led by General Min Aung Hlaing, took over in a coup. Suu Kyi and her government were detained and accused of election fraud. Her party, the National League for Democracy, had won over 80% of the votes in the last election.
Following the coup, mass protests took place, with thousands of people demanding a return to civilian rule. The military responded with force, using tear gas and rubber bullets.
Rights groups say that hundreds of people were killed, and thousands were injured.
What began as a civil disobedience movement turned into an armed resistance involving ethnic rebel groups and pro-democracy forces. This led to a full-scale civil war.
After four years, the fighting continues between the military and resistance groups. The military has lost control over large areas of Myanmar. Within the army, dissatisfaction with General Min Aung Hlaing has grown as more soldiers defect.
Millions of people live in unsafe conditions, with limited access to healthcare and food, according to rights groups.
Displacement in Myanmar
Even before the earthquake, the United Nations estimated that hundreds of thousands of people had been forced to flee due to fighting. More than 3 million people are displaced within Myanmar, and around 18.6 million need humanitarian aid.
However, aid efforts have faced challenges. Recent cuts to foreign assistance have worsened conditions.
Hunger is a major concern
The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that most food rations currently provided in Myanmar will be halted by April, even as the country struggles with a severe humanitarian crisis. The agency stated that it requires USD 60 million to sustain food aid in Myanmar and urged its partners to secure additional funding.
According to the WFP, 15.2 million people—almost a third of Myanmar’s population—are unable to meet their basic daily food needs. Of these, 2.3 million are experiencing emergency levels of hunger.
Currently, the WFP only has enough resources to assist 35,000 of the most vulnerable individuals, including young children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and people with disabilities.
US freezes aid
Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump announced a 90-day freeze on foreign aid programs. This has affected services for Myanmar refugees, including hospital care in Thai refugee camps where more than 100,000 people live, according to activists and Thai officials.
The earthquake happened just weeks after the United States reduced its aid to Myanmar. In 2024, the U.S. funded about one-third of all humanitarian aid for Myanmar, including assistance for those affected by Typhoon Yagi last November.
Last year, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) spent $240 million in Myanmar, with nearly half of it going to humanitarian aid. Since January, however, the number of USAID programs in Myanmar has dropped from 18 to 3. Several NGOs and at least seven hospitals along the Myanmar-Thailand border, which received American funding, have shut down.
