Earthquake in Myanmar and Humanitarian Crisis

Takahiro Nakajima
（Master’s student, Graduate School of Law, Hitotsubashi University）
August 1, 2025

 

On March 28, 2025, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Myanmar amid civil war. Despite severe damage and ceasefire pledges, attacks on civilians by the military regime continue. The Institute for Global Governance Research (GGR) at Hitotsubashi University has been reporting on the situation in Myanmar following the coup through seminars, workshops, issue briefings, and interviews. This briefing reports on the humanitarian crisis related to the earthquake. This briefing is informed by conversations with a Myanmar scholar who has been forced to leave the country.

 

Damage situation

On March 28, 2025, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake hit Myanmar, with its epicenter located near Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city, and Sagaing, a central religious and cultural hub on the Irrawaddy River. The earthquake was triggered by activity along the Sagaing Fault, which stretches hundreds of miles from north to south through Myanmar. The quake was also felt in parts of Thailand, India, and China, with widespread reporting of the collapse of a high-rise building under construction in Bangkok.^[1] Since the earthquake, more than 160 aftershocks have shaken the area,^[2] leaving people in a state of unease.^[3]

The damage from the earthquake is severe. As of April 23, the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Center) reported 3,800 deaths, 116 missing persons, 5,100 injured, and 207,000 internally displaced persons.^[4] According to research by the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health (UNU-INWEH), approximately 157,000 buildings were damaged, and up to 200,000 people may have lost their homes.^[5] Damage to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure is also severe, with the number of people requiring assistance increasing from 1.1 million before the earthquake to 4.3 million after it.^[6] Many survivors remain in temporary shelters, leaving them vulnerable to adverse weather conditions and waterborne diseases.^[7]

Additionally, unstable living conditions in shelters are reported to have a significant negative impact on children’s mental health.^[8] Furthermore, the Sagaing Region is home to 1.3 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), accounting for one-third of Myanmar’s total IDP population,^[9] and existing vulnerabilities are believed to have been exacerbated by the earthquake. Infrastructure damage is also severe. The highway connecting Yangon and Naypyidaw has reportedly been damaged, posing a risk of disrupting transportation between the capital and affected areas.^[10] Damage to religious sites has also been severe. The earthquake is reported to have destroyed or damaged over 5,000 pagodas, 3,400 monasteries, 136 mosques, 50 Christian churches, 26 Hindu temples, and one Chinese temple.^[11]

 

Five years of crisis

Myanmar has experienced multiple crises over the past five years. The COVID-19 pandemic began to spread in March 2020. Then, on February 1, 2021, a coup was carried out by the Myanmar Armed Forces. The military claimed that the general election results were fraudulent and staged a coup. The military arrested State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders. Although a healthcare system had been established in response to the first and second waves of COVID-19, the military regime increased restrictions on access to medical care, and the third wave of the virus in 2021 caused the most severe damage.^[12]

Nationwide protests erupted in response to the military coup, and the military cracked down with force, which resulted in numerous casualties. Subsequently, pro-democracy forces formed the National Unity Government (NUG) and continued armed resistance against the military in collaboration with ethnic armed groups, with the civil war ongoing as of now. The military regime is losing control on the ground as the anti-military regime forces continue their offensive. As of November 2024, the BBC reported that the military’s control over the country had dropped below 25%.^[13] Amid this situation, the military has increased its use of remote violence, such as airstrikes and bombings. According to Amnesty International, military airstrikes in the first half of 2024 increased fivefold compared to the previous year.^[14]

Amid this human-made disaster, Cyclone Yagi struck central, eastern, and southeastern Myanmar in 2024. The cyclone affected nine regions and states, leaving 890,000 people affected by flooding and approximately 384 dead.^[15] When the earthquake struck in March 2025 it came as an additional blow in the already dire situation caused by the pandemic, coup, civil war, and cyclone.

 

Earthquake and the military junta

Following the earthquake, in April 2025, both the military regime and some opposition groups announced a unilateral ceasefire. The temporary ceasefire, initially set to expire in April, was extended to May and then to the end of June.^[16] However, despite the ceasefire, military airstrikes targeting non-military objectives continue across Myanmar. The investigative group Bellingcat reports that at least 22 villages were damaged by airstrikes between April 2 and 22, with 14 of those villages located in Sagaing and Mandalay.^[17] According to the independent media outlet The Irrawaddy, during the Thingyan festival, a New Year celebration held from April 13 to 16, at least 26 airstrikes targeting civilians were carried out, resulting in the deaths of at least 23 people.^[18] Among the targets were monasteries where Buddhists gathered for the festival. Despite the extension of the ceasefire in May, schools in the Sagaing region were bombed, resulting in the deaths of at least 17 students.^[19]

In addition to direct attacks on civilians, the military regime has further exacerbated humanitarian suffering by arbitrarily restricting the acceptance of humanitarian aid. International support for Myanmar requires the consent of the military regime. While accepting support from China, the military regime refused to allow rescue teams from Taiwan to enter the country.^[20] This refusal likely reflects China’s growing influence in Myanmar. In January 2025, China mediated a ceasefire between the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the military government.^[21] In February, the military junta allowed Chinese “private security companies” to operate in Myanmar.^[22]

 

Humanitarian assistance from Japan

In response to this situation, Japan has also provided humanitarian assistance at both the government and civil society levels. The Japanese government dispatched a 32-member medical team from Japan Disaster Relief on April 2 and sent a second team of 37 members starting on April 12. On April 8, the Self-Defense Forces dispatched aircraft to transport medical supplies and equipment necessary for the medical team’s activities. Additionally, through an emergency grant of 6 million US dollars, Japan is implementing humanitarian assistance in the fields of health and medical care, water and sanitation, and food through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Food Programme (WFP).^[23] On May 16, it was announced that the government had decided to implement a “Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects” program to provide emergency support, including water tanks and emergency shelters, to people at monastery-affiliated schools in the Mandalay region.^[24]

Efforts to deliver support at the citizen level are also underway. “Docu Athan,” by Yuki Kitazumi^[25] and Toru Kubota,^[26] members of the Milk Tea Alliance Japan, is conducting fundraising activities to provide financial assistance for support activities by civilian organizations and pro-democracy groups without involving the military, and to convey the situation in the disaster-affected areas.^[27] Civil society organizations in Japan have also been actively engaged. For example, the voluntary cultural exchange group “Fukuoka-Myanmar Friendship Organization” conducted a fundraising campaign in Tenjin, Fukuoka City, in early April 2025, raising over one million yen in just two days. All of the funds were transferred through reliable channels to ensure they reached the disaster victims directly, bypassing the military. Around 80 Myanmar nationals participated on both days, along with church members from Kyushu and members of Atutu Myanmar-Fukuoka, an organization providing on-the-ground support.^[28]

 

Conclusion

The damage caused by the earthquake that struck Myanmar is immense. The Myanmar military continues to take the lives of its citizens and even restricts humanitarian aid. In this context, Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of the Myanmar military, plans to hold elections by December 2025 or, at the latest, January 2026, likely aiming to justify the military’s rule.^[29] However, in June 2025 the military enacted laws distorting the independence of election management bodies.^[30] It is clear that the military lacks even a humanitarian perspective and is clinging to its survival. The international community should stop legitimizing the military regime and significantly scale up humanitarian assistance, not only to protect lives and human rights, but also to safeguard democracy from distortion.

 

Acknowledgement

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Professor Maiko Ichihara for giving me the opportunity to write this briefing. I am also deeply grateful to all those who supported the preparation of this briefing.

 

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Notes

[1] For the latest information, see: Hollie Cole, “Seventeen Arrest Warrants Issued over Bangkok Skyscraper Collapse,” BBC (May 16, 2025). (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c89p7ew45e5o. All online sources were last accessed on July 1, 2025.)

[2] UNICEF, “UNICEF Myanmar Flash Update No. 12 (Earthquake),” UNICEF (May 9, 2025). (https://reliefweb.int/attachments/66c6d248-e5d3-4ff0-acc5-7d176769274b/UNICEF%20Myanmar%20Flash%20Update%20No.%2012%20%28Earthquake%29%2C%2009%20May%202025.pdf)

[3] UN, “Myanmar Quake: Ongoing Aftershocks Spread Fear,” UN News (April 25, 2025). (https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162711)

[4] AHA Centre, “Situation Update No. 10: M7.7 Mandalay Earthquake,” AHA Centre (April 23, 2025). (https://ahacentre.org/situation-update/situation-update-no-10-m7-7-mandalay-earthquake-23-april-2025/)

[5] Manoochehr Shirzaei, Shubham Awasthi, Esther O. Oyedele, Mohammad Khorrami, Nivedita Kamaraj, Susanna Werth, Mir Matin, Kaveh Madani, “Building Damage Assessment of the March 2025 Myanmar Earthquake,” UNU-INWEH (June 2025). (https://unu.edu/inweh/collection/building-damage-assessment-march-2025-myanmar-earthquake)

[6] IOM, “Earthquake Response Situation Report: No. 9,” IOM (June 11, 2025). (https://crisisresponse.iom.int/sites/g/files/tmzbdl1481/files/appeal/documents/IOM%20Myanmar%20Earthquake%20Response%20Sitrep%20No.%209.pdf)

[7] UN News, “Destitution and Disease Stalk Myanmar’s Quake Survivors,” UN News (April 25, 2025). (https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162636)

[8] Doctors Without Borders, “Beyond the Rubble: Mental Health Needs after Myanmar’s Earthquake,” Doctors Without Borders (June 12, 2025). (https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/beyond-rubble-mental-health-needs-after-myanmars-earthquake)

[9] Emergency Response Coordination Centre, “Myanmar: Earthquakes,” Emergency Response Coordination Centre, European Commission (n.d.). (https://erccportal.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ECHO-Products/Echo-Flash#/echo-flash-items/28803)

[10] IFRC, “Emergency Appeal: Myanmar, Asia Pacific, Myanmar Earthquake,” MDRMM023, IFRC (March 28, 2025), p.2. (https://go-api.ifrc.org/api/downloadfile/90788/MDRMM023_EA)

[11] The Irrawaddy, “Myanmar Authorities Drag their Feet over Rebuilding of Mosques, Churches,” The Irrawaddy (May 22, 2025). https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-authorities-drag-their-feet-over-rebuilding-of-mosques-churches.html)

[12] Spring Research Team. “The COVID-19 Third Wave in Myanmar Following the Military Coup,” F1000Research, 11-1301 (2023). (https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.123450.2)

[13] Rebecca Henschke, Ko Ko Aung, Jack Aung, and Data Journalism Team, “Soldier-Spies in Myanmar Help Pro-Democracy Rebels Make Crucial Gains,” BBC (December 20, 2024). (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c390ndrny17o)

[14] Amnesty International, “Myanmar 2024,” Amnesty International (n.d.).  (https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/asia-and-the-pacific/south-east-asia-and-the-pacific/myanmar/report-myanmar/)

[15] ACAPS, “Myanmar, Impact of Typhoon Yagi,” ACAPS Briefing note (September 24, 2024). (https://www.acaps.org/fileadmin/Data_Product/Main_media/20240924_ACAPS_Myanmar_-_impact_of_Typhoon_Yagi_.pdf)

[16] Reuters, “Myanmar Junta says Extends Temporary Ceasefire to June 30,” Reuters (June 3, 2025). (https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/myanmar-junta-says-extends-temporary-ceasefire-june-30-2025-06-03/)

[17] Pooja Chaudhuri, “Open Sources Show Myanmar Junta Airstrike Damages Despite Post-Earthquake Ceasefire,” Bellingcat (April 29, 2025). (https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/04/29/open-sources-show-myanmar-junta-airstrike-damages-despite-post-earthquake-ceasefire/)

[18] The Irrawaddy, “23 Civilians Killed in Myanmar Junta Airstrikes over Thingyan,” The Irrawaddy (April 17, 2025). (https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/23-civilians-killed-in-myanmar-junta-airstrikes-over-thingyan.html)

[19] Reuters, “Myanmar Opposition says Junta Airstrike Kills 17 School Children,” Reuters (May 12, 2025). (https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/myanmar-opposition-says-junta-airstrike-kills-17-school-children-2025-05-12/)

[20] Su Mon Thant, “Myanmar Earthquake: Why the Junta has Turned Away Aid,” The Interpreter (May 2, 2025). (https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/myanmar-earthquake-why-junta-has-turned-away-aid)

[21] AP, “China says It Brokered a Ceasefire between Myanmar Army and an Ethnic Rebel Group,” AP (January 21, 2025). (https://apnews.com/article/myanmar-ceasefire-china-84fe105c209be4fc482a04628733e4c5)

[22] Maung Kavi, “Junta Passes Law Allowing Chinese Security Firms to Operate in Myanmar,” The Irrawaddy (February 19, 2025). (https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/myanmar-china-watch/junta-passes-law-allowing-chinese-security-firms-to-operate-in-myanmar.html)

[23] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, “Dispatch of the Second Japan Disaster Relief (JDR) Medical Team and Emergency Grant in Response to the People Affected by the Earthquake in Myanmar,” Press releases, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (April 11, 2025). (https://www.mofa.go.jp/press/release/pressite_000001_01162.html)

[24] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, “Provision of Emergency Relief Kits to Schools Affected by the Earthquake in Myanmar (Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects),” Press releases, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (May 16, 2025). (https://www.mofa.go.jp/press/release/pressite_000001_01270.html)

[25] Jeong Minhee, “I am a Yangon Citizen Living in Tokyo: Interview with Journalist Yuki Kitazumi,” GGR Issue Briefing No. 73 (June 28, 2024). (https://ggr.hias.hit-u.ac.jp/en/2024/06/28/i_am_a_yangon_citizen_living_in_tokyo/)

[26] Jeong Minhee, “Will You All Be Arrested with Me?” GGR Issue Briefing No. 94 (May 19, 2025) (https://ggr.hias.hit-u.ac.jp/en/2025/05/19/will-you-all-be-arrested-with-me/)

[27] Docu Athan, “Myanmar Earthquake: A Call for Donations – Ensuring Direct Support without Going Through the Military [Myanma ohjishin gokihu no onegai: gunsei wo tosanai chakujitsuna sien no tameni (in Japanese)]” Docu Athan (n.d.). (https://www.docuathan.com/earthquake)

[28] This information was obtained through conversations with researchers on Myanmar.

[29] Bryony Lau, “Myanmar Junta’s Farcical Plans for Elections,” Human Rights Watch (March 11, 2025). (https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/03/11/myanmar-juntas-farcical-plans-elections)

[30] Maung Kavi, “Myanmar Junta Changes Election Law Ahead of Polls,” The Irrawaddy (June 20, 2025). (https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-junta-changes-election-law-ahead-of-polls.html)