Early afternoon on Friday, March 28, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar, hitting the country’s second-largest city, Mandalay, and was felt over 600 miles away in the capital of Thailand, Bangkok. The quake was followed by several aftershocks.
Over 150 people have died, and another 732 have been injured. Widespread damage and casualties are expected, with fatalities estimated to range between 100 and 10,000. Economic losses could reach as high as 70% of Myanmar's GDP. The Myanmar military regime has declared a state of emergency in parts of the country, and a state of emergency was also declared in Bangkok, where at least eight people were killed. The quake has caused significant damage to buildings, air traffic control towers, bridges, electricity lines, and infrastructure across the region.
IRUSA is launching an earthquake emergency response in both Myanmar and Thailand.
In Myanmar, we will distribute multipurpose cash assistance to earthquake-affected communities to meet diverse needs, such as food, water, and shelter. In Thailand, we will support the basic needs of earthquake victims, which may include shelter and/or access to safe and clean water.
A needs assessment will be conducted to ensure we are addressing the most urgent needs on the ground.
