Thousands still without assistance in Myanmar, one month from quake

UN agencies estimate that around 17 million people have been affected in some way by the earthquake, with the death toll standing at 3,700. Fears for the rainy season now approaching. Official statements on the ceasefire have been disregarded: hundreds of bombings have taken place in recent weeks. Fundraising continues, promoted by the PIME Foundation.

Yangon (AsiaNews) - A month has passed since the earthquake that shook Myanmar on 28 March with a magnitude of 7.7. At least 42,000 people out of a total of 200,000 displaced are still living in temporary shelters.

This is according to the humanitarian organisation Save the Children, which also points out that the structures are not suitable for coping with heavy rains and extreme heat. A refugee camp near Mandalay, one of the worst-hit areas, has already been flooded.

Although the Burmese military junta has declared 3,700 dead and over 5,000 injured, the death toll is likely to be much higher. UN agencies estimate that around 17 million people have been affected in some way by the earthquake, at least 65,000 buildings have collapsed, while 88% of roads remain impassable and in 44% of the affected areas, internet connections and electricity have not yet been restored.

Around 72% of people living in the Sagaing and Mandalay regions, the worst affected by the earthquake, have not yet received any assistance, according to the International Organisation for Migration.

In fact, fighting between the military junta and resistance forces has continued over the past 30 days, despite ceasefire declarations by both sides, and several rescue teams have reported difficulties in delivering aid due to restrictions imposed by the military.

Many displaced people fear they will not be able to start rebuilding their homes with the imminent arrival of the rainy season, which usually begins in May. Hundreds of schools, which have been destroyed, may not be ready before the resumption of classes in June.

Many people, especially in refugee camps, still have no access to clean water, putting them at risk of diseases such as cholera, dengue fever and skin infections.

Malnutrition among children is also becoming a growing concern for international agencies: the Mandalay and Sagaing regions, which are the worst affected, account for a third of the country's cereal production and four-fifths of its maize production.

The situation is further aggravated by hundreds of aftershocks: 140 have been recorded so far, causing further structural damage and putting the psychological resilience of the Burmese people, especially children, to the test. ‘Frequent strong aftershocks continue to shake central Myanmar almost daily, increasing fear and uncertainty,’ the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) wrote in a statement.

Even in Naypyidaw, the capital, although further away from the epicentre, several government buildings and public facilities remain structurally compromised, limiting the functioning of essential public services to the point that some government departments are considering temporarily relocating to Yangon.

All ceasefire declarations, both by the Burmese army and by ethnic militias fighting against the regime, have so far been completely disregarded. Taking advantage of the confusion following the natural disaster, the military junta has continued to bomb villages in the areas affected by the earthquake: according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 120 attacks were carried out in the days following the earthquake, while the Institute for Strategy and Policy – Myanmar (ISP-Myanmar) counted 160 bombings and 38 armed clashes up to 9 April, almost half of which took place after a ceasefire announcement on 2 April. Even during the Thingyan New Year celebrations, at least eight municipalities were hit.

In response to the humanitarian emergency, the PIME Foundation has decided to launch a fundraiser for Myanmar. The aid will be used to bring relief to those affected by the earthquake through the NGO New Humanity International, which has been active in the country for years and has mobilised its local network in recent hours for relief operations.

Donations can be made with the reference ‘S001 Emergencies - Earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand’:

• online directly at this link

• by bank transfer to Fondazione Pime OnlusIBAN IT89M0623001633000015111283(please send a copy of the transfer by email to uam@pimemilano.com indicating your name, surname, address, place and date of birth, and tax code)

• to postal account no. 39208202 in the name of Fondazione Pime Onlus, via Monte Rosa, 81 – 20149 Milan

• in cash or by cheque at the PIME Centre in Milan, via Monte Rosa 81, Monday to Friday (9.00-12.30 and 13.30-17.30)