BANGKOK — One month after a devastating earthquake struck Myanmar, hundreds of thousands of survivors remain in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Efforts to deliver relief have been further hindered by ongoing military airstrikes, despite ceasefires intended to facilitate aid during the country’s ongoing civil conflict.
The earthquake, which registered a magnitude of 7.7, occurred on March 28 and wreaked havoc across a large portion of the nation. Significant damage was reported in six regions, including the capital, Naypyitaw. Myanmar’s Department of Meteorology and Hydrology noted that as of Monday, there had been a total of 157 aftershocks, with magnitudes ranging from 2.8 to 7.5.
The toll from the quake continues to rise. The state-run MRTV television channel stated on Monday that 3,770 people had lost their lives, with 5,106 injured and 106 still reported missing. The catastrophe has left vast areas without essential services such as electricity and telecommunications, and has severely damaged roads, bridges, and tens of thousands of buildings.
In affected areas, families and friends of the victims have been participating in Buddhist ceremonies to honor their loved ones, involving donations to monks. Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, head of Myanmar’s ruling military council, was reported to have participated in a similar ceremony in Naypyitaw.
The military airstrikes have not abated. According to a report from the Myanmar Witness project, part of the London-based Centre for Information Resilience, there have been 80 documented airstrikes since the earthquake, 65 of which occurred after the military’s own ceasefire announcement on April 2. These attacks have been widespread throughout multiple regions.
Conflict has gripped Myanmar since the military ousted the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, setting off widespread peaceful protests that later evolved into armed resistance. This resistance merged pro-democracy advocates with long-standing ethnic insurgent groups.
“Myanmar’s population was already suffering from years of SAC aggression and armed conflict,” remarked Robert Dolan, director of the Myanmar Witness project, referencing Myanmar’s ruling State Administration Council. “The layers of suffering are hard to comprehend.”
Civilian areas continue to bear the brunt of the bombings, targeting markets, residential zones, and places of worship, according to the main opposition shadow government. This violence has resulted in more than 200 civilian deaths, including at least 24 children, between March 28 and April 19, 2025.
Dave Eubank, founder of the Free Burma Rangers, a private aid organization, reported that two of his medics had been killed in military attacks since the earthquake’s occurrence. “These attacks have not slowed down at all,” Eubank explained, citing the continuous barrage of drone strikes, airstrikes, and artillery, which predominantly affect villages.
Although the military government has not commented on these operations, it extended its ceasefire on April 22, maintaining the right to respond to perceived threats from resistance forces.
Living conditions for earthquake survivors continue to be severe. Humanitarian organizations, including U.N. agencies, emphasize urgent needs for safe shelter, sanitation, and healthcare. Pre-existing displacement due to the civil conflict has left over 3 million people without homes and exacerbated the challenges faced by the nearly 20 million requiring help.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs highlighted that many survivors are still in makeshift tents, vulnerable to pre-monsoon storms and without access to clean water, raising concerns about waterborne diseases.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies reported on Monday that displaced individuals are enduring outdoor temperatures of up to forty degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), plagued by fears of further aftershocks.
In Naypyitaw, reconstruction efforts have commenced. Buildings housing ministerial offices have been demolished in preparation for new construction. Debris has been cleared from markets and schools, though many individuals remain in temporary shelters.
Reports indicate that several ministries will temporarily relocate their operations to Yangon, Myanmar’s former capital, until reconstruction is complete.