Thailand says Myanmar remains in urgent need of aid following earthquake

BANGKOK, April 9 — Myanmar, devastated by the recent earthquake, continues to urgently require medical assistance, field hospitals, and shelters, according to Thailand’s foreign minister. He emphasized the need for a coordinated regional relief effort and long-term support.

The 7.7 magnitude earthquake on March 28 was one of the strongest to hit Myanmar in a century, affecting a region with 28 million people. The tremor caused widespread destruction, leveling buildings and communities, leaving many without food, water, and shelter.

“What Myanmar needs is field hospitals,” Maris stated in an interview late yesterday. “Their existing hospitals cannot function at full capacity due to the damage from the quake,” he explained.

Maris also highlighted the need for temporary shelters, mosquito nets, food, water filters, and clean water, while expressing concerns about the spread of communicable diseases among the displaced, worsened by the intense summer heat.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) thanked the more than 30 search-and-rescue teams from 13 countries that had been deployed to locate survivors, some of which were now leaving Myanmar. "Their expertise was crucial in the immediate aftermath — helping locate survivors and supporting communities in their darkest hours," OCHA wrote in a Facebook post.

The Chinese search-and-rescue team completed its mission and left Myanmar today, according to state news agency Xinhua. A fifth batch of emergency supplies from China, weighing 91 tonnes, arrived today, including 266 tents, thousands of mosquito nets, and tarpaulin sheets.

This disaster has dealt a severe blow to a nation already struggling with a declining economy and an ongoing civil war following the 2021 military coup. The United Nations estimates that 3.5 million people were displaced in Myanmar before the earthquake struck.

The junta and rebel groups have announced unilateral ceasefires to support the relief efforts, though both sides have accused each other of violating the agreements.

Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing stated that in the reconstruction effort, buildings must be designed to withstand natural disasters. “We must learn from the tragic losses of previous events,” he said, as quoted in state media. “Officials need to rigorously supervise building construction.”

Thailand’s Maris noted that plans for medium- and long-term assistance for Myanmar were being developed, including the reconstruction of damaged areas. Malaysia expressed its intention to coordinate the regional relief effort in Sagaing, with Thailand managing humanitarian efforts in Mandalay, both regions near the earthquake’s epicenter.

The goal is to improve on-the-ground capacity and ensure that foreign aid from Southeast Asian countries is effectively delivered to Myanmar, he added.

“We told Myanmar that, in addition to helping the people, the two teams will assist in managing coordination efforts for the incoming aid,” Maris said. — Reuters