Myanmar: “Hit by a powerful earthquake of 7.7 magnitude”

Shocks in Thailand and Myanmar, tremors in India and China

After a strong earthquake hit Myanmar today, it is not exaggerated to call Myanmar a tortured country. Increasingly living under conditions of conflict and war since the coup d’état in 2021, the people of Myanmar had recently to endure two natural disasters. First, Cyclone Mocha in May 2023, second Typhoon Yagi in September 2024. Due to these natural catastrophes many people in Myanmar lost everything except their lifes.

Yagi came with extreme floodings, thereby causing the State Administration Council (SAC) to do what the military rulers usually try to avoid: calling for foreign aid. This call almost went unheard. Only India helped by “sending 10 tonnes of materials, including dry rations, clothing and medicine” to flooded Myanmar.

Too often, the military has refused to accept international aid. In an extreme manner, this had happened when Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar on May 2, 2008. Due to the State Peace and Development Council’s decision not to give way to any major international support efforts, fierce protest found its way to the United Nations Security Council. With France being in the leading role the “Responsibility to Protect”- formula was discussed, finally blocked by China. Either way, Myanmar’s then military rulers were eventually pressed to give access to international help.

Now, a powerful earthquake has hit the country with the epicenter at the Sagaing Fault, the decisive geological feature making Myanmar one of the most earthquake prone countries in the world. Occuring at a depth of 30 km (up-date 04/02/2025 The earthquake occured at at depth of 10 km. s. EMSR798 Situational Reporting) , it had the power to crash down high rising buildings in Bangkok, and was felt in India and China, too.

Warnings in February

The disaster has not come without warnings.

On February 9, 2025, U Thaw Phyo Shwe, a scientist of Myanmar’s Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association BANCA “ha(d) emphasized the need for special attention to earthquake preparedness in 2025, particularly in the Sagaing Region, Shan State, Bago Region, and Yangon Region”, as reported by elevenmyanmar, a close-to-the-SAC publishing media outlet. It is unknown, if these warnings were heard and any preparations have been made. On March 3, 2025, the northern area of Yangon was hit by an earthquake occuring at a depth of 10 km with a “low humanitarian impact”.

Myanmar as a top crisis country

In December 2024, the International Rescue Committe (IRC), a U.S. American Non Profit Organization, ranked Myanmar number three of its crisis list for the year 2025, just after Sudan and the Gaza Strip/West Bank. This was decided for the first time due to the “protracted violence” in Myanmar.

Sagaing, the region mostly affected by Myanmar’s uprising against military rule, now faces extreme challenges.

The region is known for being central to the armed resistance of the last four years. As a consequence, it has experienced a high level of violence and destruction since 2021. Especially here, targeted incidents of the Burmese army against the civilian population took place, while targeted assassinations of people presumed to be close to the military were committed by the resistance forces .

Both strategies have shaped the conflict and war scenerios in this region. From February to July 2023, Sagaing had been heavily attacked by air raids. It was the SAC’s reaction to the well-organized resistance, having quickly emerged in May 2021. Whatever the population has experienced since then, “no aid of scale reached Sagaing”.

Now, after almost four years of fightings, many rural areas in Sagaing are so-called “liberated areas”, where the People Defense Forces (PDFs), many of them under the command of the National Unity Government (NUG), have a saying. This notwithstanding, the Burmese army can appear any time.

Today’s earthquake hit a country with an already impoverished population, thereby worsening the situation of many people across Myanmar who can hardly endure the circumstances of their lifes. Now, injuries and deaths caused by an immense natural power, let the degree of suffering to a new dimension.

The urgently needed support of substantial aid is uncertain. Currently, patients are being treated on the street due to overcrowded hospitals as reported for example from the capital Nay Pyi Taw.

At other, non-urban areas, people presumably will be supported by Myanmar’s brillantly organized civil society as much as possible. This society is, however, overstretched by too many burdens.

Donations are highly welcomed.

_{updated 03/29/2025}