Chaos after earthquake in Myanmar: Military attacks despite ceasefire!

Chaos after earthquake in Myanmar: Military attacks despite ceasefire!

The humanitarian situation in Myanmar is dramatic and requires urgent international attention. On Friday, an earthquake of strength 7.7 shaked the country, especially the city of Mandalay and the Sagaing region. To date, April 3, 2025, at least 3,003 deaths and over 4,500 injuries have been reported. Estimates indicate that the numbers may be even higher, since the rescue and clean-up work continues and the infrastructure is severely damaged. In many areas, electricity and telephone connections only work sporadically, which makes it extremely difficult to save survivors. Vienna.at reports that The Myanmar military government classifies the situation as catastrophic.

Despite a three-week ceasefire announced on Wednesday to support the rescue and reconstruction work, military operations in the region affected by the earthquake occurred during the night. The military leadership apparently shot an auxiliary convoy of the Chinese Red Cross, which further endangers the efforts of the helpers. This leads to an alarming situation because many people rely on humanitarian aid. Before the quake, over 20 million people in Myanmar were dependent on help. ZDF reports that Ethnic groups and local militias were asked to hire any attacks, while the military threatens with consequences, these conditions should not be met.

Rescue actions and humanitarian situation

The earthquake disaster has further exacerbated the humanitarian situation in the middle of the existing civil war. Thousands of buildings, including residential buildings and hospitals, were reportedly damaged. The rescue campaigns are extremely difficult: rescue teams found corpses mostly, but they were also able to recover survivors. A remarkable case is that of a 26-year-old hotel employee who was saved under the ruins after 108 hours. The German Welle explains that Around three million people were already sold before the earthquake and the number could continue to rise.

While international help is offered, among others by Russia, China, India, Singapore, the USA and the EU, the subliminal danger remains of further military conflicts. The military, which Myanmar has ruled brutally since the coup in 2021, has already flown air strikes on resistance groups, which makes the situation even more precarious. Observers point out that the survival options in the earthquake area are severely restricted. Some reports indicate that the military in the Sagaing region continues to act aggressively against civilians while requesting aid.

Spiritual dimension and historical parallels

The destruction of important cultural sites, including important pagodas such as the Mahamuni pagoda, gives the earthquake disaster an additional spiritual dimension. Experts refer to historical parallels to an earthquake from 1930, which was considered a sign of a state crisis. These spiritual perspectives reinforce concern about the future of Myanmar and the current political situation. The military junta and international partners must now work together all the more urgently to prevent further escalation of the crisis and to support the urgently needed reconstruction.