Basic services have yet to be restored to the areas of Myanmar worst hit by a huge earthquake three weeks ago, and emergency workers recovering bodies and clearing debris are contending with regular aftershocks and lack of resources, humanitarian services say.
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A situation report issued late on Friday by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said frequent strong aftershocks continue to shake central Myanmar almost daily, increasing fear and uncertainty among affected residents, disrupting response efforts and exacerbating the pressure on already limited resources and services.
“Three weeks after catastrophic twin earthquakes hit Myanmar on 28 March, the worst-affected communities are still without safe shelter, clean water and sanitation, stable electricity, healthcare and essential services,” the report said.
The epicentre of the 7.7 magnitude quake was near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, but it hit a wide swathe of the country, causing significant damage to six regions and states including the capital Naypyidaw.
It also worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis triggered by the country’s civil war that had internally displaced more than 3 million people and left nearly 20 million in need, according to the United Nations.
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A report in the state-run Myanma Alinn newspaper published on Saturday said the quake’s death toll had reached 3,726, with 5,105 people injured and 129 still missing. It said 1,975 international rescuers and medical workers from 25 countries had collaborated with local rescuers in saving 653 people and recovering 753 bodies from under rubble.