On 28 March, a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, with the epicenter located 16 kilometers northwest of Sagaing town, in central Myanmar. Just 12 minutes after the first quake, a second earthquake of 6.4 magnitude struck again, with the epicenter 18 kilometers south of Sagaing.
Sagaing and Mandalay Regions, as the epicenters, suffered the most extensive impacts. According to the latest media reports, the death toll rose to over 2,800. The number of injured increased to 3,408, while the missing figure rose to 139. In neighboring Thailand, the death toll rose to 17.
IRC partners initiated the emergency response on March 30th, distributing essential life-saving assistance to communities, including water, and medical support. The IRC mobile medical health team is en route to Mandalay, near the earthquake's epicenter, with essential medicines to provide life-saving aid. Based on information gathered from our partners and insights from our staff, we have identified the priority needs of the affected communities.
In the coming weeks, the IRC will continue to leverage the breadth of our experience in delivering integrated, evidence-based humanitarian services.
The IRC initiated an emergency response in Myanmar following Cyclone Nargis in 2008. Since then, the IRC has worked with local partners to expand its activities. Thank you for your generosity. Your gift allows us to deliver comprehensive help to people affected by humanitarian crises around the world. This gift will be used where and when most needed.
