Over 200,000 displaced after powerful earthquake strikes central Myanmar

YANGON -- More than 200,000 people have been displaced after a powerful 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on March 28, the official daily The Mirror reported Saturday, citing the National Disaster Management Committee (NDMC).

At the NDMC's third meeting of the year, held Friday in Nay Pyi Taw, Committee Chairman Vice Senior General Soe Win said the earthquake caused widespread destruction across 10 regions and states, including Nay Pyi Taw, Sagaing, Mandalay, Bago, Magway, and Shan.

He reported that 3,763 people have been killed and 5,107 injured, while 110 remained missing as of Friday. In total, 629,206 people from 128,965 households were directly affected.

As of April 23, 48,656 of the total displaced people have been sheltering in 135 rescue centers, while 159,239 others have relocated independently, according to the report.

Despite being affected, more than 421,000 people have remained in their homes as their houses are still livable, Soe Win said.

Search and rescue operations, along with damage assessments and recovery work, are underway in hard-hit areas like Sagaing, Mandalay, and Nay Pyi Taw, he added.

The earthquake destroyed or damaged over 63,000 homes, 6,700 schools, 5,400 monasteries, 5,300 pagodas, and hundreds of other religious buildings, hospitals, bridges, roads, and dams, he said.

International medical teams, including 337 foreign personnel, have set up temporary hospitals in the worst-affected areas and are providing care alongside local health workers.

Soe Win said the funds donated by local and international donors via the NDMC are being systematically distributed for rescue and recovery efforts.

Following a request for international assistance by the Myanmar government, 2,095 rescue workers from 26 countries and regions have arrived in Myanmar, bringing over 3,800 tons of relief supplies using 147 planes, seven ships, and 23 vehicles, he added.

Authorities are inspecting damaged buildings using a color-coded system -- blue, orange, and red -- to assess structural damage and guide repairs.

Temporary housing, including bashas and modular shelters, is being built for displaced staff and residents, while plans are underway to reconstruct homes using earthquake-resistant designs based on soil testing and fault-line assessments.

Since the earthquake on March 28, Myanmar has experienced over 150 aftershocks, and rescue and recovery operations are ongoing, the report said.