Tag:earthquake

Beyond the immediate structural collapse and trauma, aid agencies are raising alarm over how the disaster will disproportionately affect women and girls.

Despite billions invested in reconstruction and ongoing government promises, thousands still reside in temporary shelters, and numerous public buildings, particularly schools and hospitals, remain unrebuilt.

This was the first major disaster to strike since the Trump administration suspended US foreign aid to Afghanistan in January. While Washington released statements of sympathy, it has made no formal pledge of direct financial assistance to quake relief.

Since the military coup in February 2021, nearly 6,800 civilians have been killed and over 22,000 remain arbitrarily detained, he said. Humanitarian needs have soared, with nearly 22 million people in need of assistance and more than 3.5 million displaced by conflict.

One of the key tenets of Buddhism is the understanding that life is connected to suffering (dukkha). But how much more can the people of Myanmar suffer?

The regime’s spokesman, Zaw Min Tun, said in an audio statement that foreign media would not be allowed to report on the earthquake from inside the country. At the same time, the junta also imposed restrictions on local media.

Even before the earthquake, Myanmar was facing a severe humanitarian crisis, with nearly 20 million people in need of assistance due to ongoing conflicts and displacement.

Vanuatu is emblematic of the cascading disasters that Pacific Island nations increasingly endure, where frequent earthquakes intersect with the escalating impacts of climate-induced hazards such as cyclones, rising sea levels, and coastal erosion accompanied by staggering loss and damage experienced by vulnerable populations and ecosystems.