In the devastating aftermath of a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar’s Mandalay region on March 29, survivors have been left to fend for themselves as they scramble through the rubble in search of loved ones. With no immediate aid from authorities and a severe lack of heavy machinery, desperate residents and rescue workers resorted to digging with their bare hands.
Htet Min Oo, a 25-year-old survivor, was pinned under a collapsed brick wall, his body half-buried. Though he managed to escape with his life, his grandmother and two uncles remained trapped beneath a collapsed building. Through tears, he described his futile attempts to clear the wreckage without assistance.
“There’s too much rubble, and no rescue teams have come for us,” he said, his voice breaking with emotion.
As of March 30, the death toll has surpassed 1,000, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters to hit Myanmar in recent years. Humanitarian agencies fear the number could rise significantly, given the extent of the destruction and the sluggish emergency response.
Myanmar has been grappling with a prolonged crisis since the military coup in 2021, which ousted the civilian government and plunged the nation into civil war. Years of conflict have left infrastructure crumbling and emergency services ill-equipped to respond to large-scale disasters.
“The powerful earthquake hit the country at the worst possible time,” said Sheela Matthew, deputy country director for the World Food Programme. “Myanmar just can’t afford another disaster.”
According to the International Rescue Committee, hospitals in conflict zones have been decimated, and the health system is overwhelmed by cholera outbreaks and other diseases. Mohammed Riyas, the organization’s Myanmar director, warned that the added burden of tending to earthquake victims would stretch resources beyond their limits.
“There is widespread violence, and the health system is in a state of collapse,” Riyas said. “The added stress of meeting the needs of those injured in the earthquake is going to cause unparalleled strain.”
In the earthquake’s aftermath, Myanmar’s military government, or junta, has come under intense scrutiny for its failure to provide timely aid. A spokesperson for the junta declined to comment on the situation when approached by Reuters.
Meanwhile, the National Unity Government (NUG), a parallel administration formed by ousted civilian leaders, has vowed to send opposition forces to assist with relief efforts. The NUG remains in conflict with the junta, controlling parts of the country through alliances with ethnic armed groups.
Amid the chaos, fighting continued in Karen state, where military jets launched airstrikes and drone attacks just hours after the quake. The Free Burma Rangers, a relief organization operating in conflict zones, reported that the strikes targeted areas near the headquarters of a major ethnic armed group.
Nyi Nyi Kyaw, a Myanmar academic at Bristol University, warned that the junta’s reliance on forced conscription had further weakened the country’s ability to respond.
“Cities and towns stand deserted by young men who would have once taken to the streets and mobilized for rescue and relief efforts,” he wrote on social media. “There is no properly functioning—let alone legitimate—government in the regions most severely affected by the earthquake.”
With official aid yet to arrive, residents in Mandalay have been forced to coordinate rescue efforts on their own. A rescue worker, attempting to free 140 monks trapped beneath a collapsed monastery in Amarapura, described the dire situation.
“We cannot help because we do not have enough manpower and machines to remove the debris,” he said. “But we will not stop working.”
Lacking official assistance, many survivors have taken to social media to appeal for help. Facebook posts requesting cranes and excavation equipment have flooded local groups. One user, whose family members were crushed beneath a collapsed mosque, pleaded for assistance in retrieving the bodies.
“We need to rent a crane to remove the heavy concrete blocks. If anyone has information on where we can rent one, please contact us,” they wrote.
One rescue worker told Reuters that they had managed to borrow machinery from private businesses to sift through the wreckage. However, when asked about support from the military government, he refused to comment for fear of retribution.
The Myanmar junta has issued a rare appeal for international assistance, prompting disaster response teams from Russia, China, Singapore, and India to mobilize. However, human rights groups warn that aid may not reach those who need it most. The military has a history of blocking humanitarian assistance, particularly in areas controlled by opposition forces.
Thomas Andrews, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, expressed concerns about the junta’s handling of relief efforts. In a post on X, he referenced the military’s previous responses to natural disasters, including its obstruction of aid following Cyclone Mocha and a recent typhoon.
“The military has a history of weaponizing aid during crises,” Andrews wrote. “There is real concern that they will restrict relief to regions outside their control.”
This concern is echoed by humanitarian organizations that have struggled to operate within Myanmar under military rule. In December, a Reuters investigation revealed that the junta had intimidated aid agencies and suppressed information about a severe food crisis, even pressuring researchers not to collect data on hunger.
With relief efforts already facing obstacles, the people of Myanmar are left with little choice but to rely on grassroots mobilization to survive.
Beyond the immediate disaster response, Myanmar’s future remains uncertain. The earthquake has exposed the fragility of a nation already on the brink of collapse, plagued by economic turmoil, ongoing conflict, and a humanitarian crisis.
According to the UN, more than 3.5 million people have been internally displaced due to the civil war, with many forced to flee across the country’s borders. More than half of Myanmar’s population lacks access to electricity, and entire communities in conflict zones have been abandoned.
For many survivors, the question is not just how they will rebuild their homes, but whether they will ever find safety in their own country again. In Mandalay, as residents dig through the rubble with their bare hands, that question looms larger than ever.
