Myanmar earthquake: CARE delivers aid as death toll climbs

Like many others in Myanmar, CARE staff are still reeling from the earthquake. 

“I’ve been living that moment over and over, day and night,” said a staff member from Mandalay.   

“I didn’t feel safe in the city with the aftershocks still happening. I’ve been trying to heal—physically and mentally—with my family. This was the worst earthquake anyone has experienced. People weren’t prepared at all. Myanmar is a poor country with very limited resources. We were not ready for such devastation. I’ve heard of many bodies piled up in the cemetery. So many people are suffering.” 

Survivors describe entire neighborhoods turned to rubble, motorbikes thrown into the air, and families searching for missing loved ones. 

Arif Noor agrees the situation is dire.  

“The physical and mental scars of this catastrophe will last for decades. People traumatized by the earthquake are sleeping on the streets with no clean water or food. They cannot escape the heat. Markets are only partially functioning, with long queues for gas and limited ATM access.”

In response, CARE teams have delivered aid to multiple displacement camps, distributing first-aid kits and multi-purpose cash assistance (MCPA). In an interview with Nikkei Asia, CARE International’s Chief Humanitarian Officer Deepmala Mahla described MCPA as a “faster, cheaper… [and] dignified” way to provide assistance, while also helping to address supply chain challenges. Mobile health clinics are also being set up to support overwhelmed hospitals.

But this is only the beginning. With millions in crisis, urgent global support is needed. 

Even before the earthquake, nearly 20 million Burmese people—one in three people in Myanmar—needed humanitarian aid due to ongoing unrest, hunger, and economic instability. Years of conflict have already damaged critical infrastructure, including roads, hospitals, and power and water systems, making rescue and relief efforts now even more challenging. Among other critical issues, the lack of healthcare facilities leaves pregnant women without safe places to give birth, and overcrowded shelters increase the risk for violence against women and girls.  

“This is a crisis on top of a crisis for Myanmar,” says Noor.  

 “This catastrophe has brought already vulnerable communities to their knees. The scale of the devastation is immense. Meeting this level of need will require a sustained, large-scale humanitarian effort. We call on the international community to step forward and support the people of Myanmar. They cannot afford to wait.”