Myanmar earthquake: Experts warn that large numbers of injuries could lead to permanent disabilities

• Humanity & Inclusion teams in Myanmar are assessing damage and needs and planning to provide rehabilitation and psychological support as well as the distribution of blankets, tents and hygiene kits.
• Special attention needs to be given to vulnerable groups, especially people with disabilities.
• In earthquake situation urgent rehabilitation intervention is needed to treat injuries such as fractures, head and spinal injuries, and amputations and prevent more serious disabilities.

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 hit central Myanmar on Friday, March 28, at 12:50 local time. Tremors were felt in Laos, Thailand, and also in China. The epicenter of the earthquake is located about sixteen kilometers from the city of Sagaing, in central Myanmar. Humanity & Inclusion (HI), which has been present in the country since 2008, is currently assessing the extent of the damage and preparing to intervene.

"In Mandalay, the country's second largest city, the situation is chaotic. The city has been cut off from the rest of the country for almost 48 hours, with widespread power cuts and communications outages, and the main access routes to Mandalay severely damaged. We have an emergency team currently deployed in Mandalay. Earthquakes like this one obviously cause very serious injuries, including fractures, head injuries, severe spinal cord injuries and amputations, all of which require physiotherapy and rehabilitation support as early as possible to prevent permanent disabilities.  We will also be providing psychological support to the local population. A disaster of this scale can be extremely traumatic. Most of the victims have lost everything they had. Fear is obviously omnipresent, the fear of another tremor.  We will also be organising distributions of blankets, tents and hygiene kits, as affected people have lost what little they had in the disaster." 

says Gilles Nouzies, Regional Director South-East Asia.

Pauline Falipou, HI Emergency Rehabilitation Specialist adds:

"In such a context, we can expect a high number of casualties, including many injured individuals with wounds, complex fractures, head injuries, spinal injuries, and amputations. In all cases, urgent intervention is necessary to assist the injured. During this type of emergency, Humanity & Inclusion intervenes in hospitals that are overwhelmed with casualties. Depending on the injuries and trauma, we collaborate with emergency medical teams to ensure the best possible care for patients. Our goal is to intervene as quickly as possible in rehabilitation to prevent more serious disabilities. We provide our expertise by carrying out the initial steps of rehabilitation and offering technical assistance, such as wheelchairs and crutches. We are particularly vigilant regarding the situation of the most vulnerable groups, especially people with disabilities, who may find themselves unable to escape without assistance.” 

More than 1,600 people have been killed and thousands more injured. Many injured people are flooding into hospitals. 

HI is planning to provide rehabilitation and psychological support and to distribute emergency supplies.

HI has been present in Myanmar since 2008. HI teams in Myanmar, trained to respond in emergencies, are closely monitoring the situation and currently assessing the extent of the damage and the needs of the most vulnerable groups to consider intervention.
At this point, all HI teams and their families are safe and sound. 

HI has an emergency team currently deployed in Mandalay. HI’s teams are planning to provide rehabilitation and psychological support as well as distributing blankets, tents and hygiene kits.

While tremors were felt in Thailand, HI’s office in that country has been closed in anticipation of possible aftershocks. The teams are in close contact with the Myanmar program to provide support if necessary.

"The walls started shaking; this is the longest earthquake of my life"

Kyaw Zaw Naing is HI operations manager in Myanmar. While returning from his lunch break, he recalls starting to feel everything shaking around him.

"I had just returned to my office after lunch when I felt all the walls and tables shaking intensely. I was extremely surprised because the tremors lasted a very long time. I have experienced earthquakes before, but this time, it was really long. With my colleagues, we decided to leave the building to take cover, and we continued to feel the ground shaking. I tried to call my family, but the phone lines were down. Thankfully, I now know they are safe. Here in Yangon, we are located quite far from the earthquake's epicenter, but I fear that the damage is severe in the most affected regions, and I am thinking of the families and children there. I saw that some bridges had been destroyed, and some residents are afraid of possible floods. The situation is still quite unclear at this point, but we are doing everything possible to assess the needs."

Notes

Spokespersons available upon request

How to Donate

• Humanity & Inclusion launched a fundraising appeal to support the people affected by the earthquake in Myanmar: https://donate.humanity-inclusion.org.uk/give/myanmar-appeal