Myanmar’s earthquake severely damaged the junta’s National Cyber Security Center and its main e-Government data hub, the Ministry of Transport and Communications announced Tuesday.
In a statement published by state-run media, repairs are reportedly in progress, and steps are being taken to resume operations, with information and cybersecurity services scheduled to be restored shortly, the statement said.
The ministry highlighted that the quake destroyed two e-learning centers and damaged more than 6,700 of 26,000 communication stations in affected areas—nearly half of which have since been restored. The National Cyber Security Center, one of the hardest-hit sites, is located in Naypyitaw’s Zabuthiri Township.
Nay Hpone Lat, spokesperson for the National Unity Government, told Myanmar Now that the quake could weaken the junta’s grip on internet surveillance—potentially easing online restrictions and disrupting the cyber monitoring tools used to track and arrest dissidents.
“They employ a large team to monitor people’s internet activities around the clock,” he said. “They track individuals, post information on channels like the Hein Nyein Oo Telegram channel, and then proceed with arrests.”
Although the junta promotes its e-Government operations, only specific sections of the system are still functioning. These are primarily used for repressing the public, Nay Hpone Lat pointed out.
“I’m sure that the junta’s entire management system, not just their e-Government, is now in a major crisis,” Nay Hpone Lat said.
Several earthquake-hit areas, including those under NUG control, continue to face disruptions in internet and communication services.
The quake has also caused numerous junta ministry websites to disappear, while offices and staff housing in Naypyitaw, the junta’s headquarters, have been destroyed. Consequently, employees are now living under difficult conditions.
Since the coup, the junta has restricted access to Facebook, a platform widely used in Myanmar, along with independent news sites.
Activists say that the regime has collected personal information and intercepted phone calls through telecom providers and internet service companies in order to target and suppress dissidents.
In 2024, internet disruptions in the Asia-Pacific region hit record levels with 296 internet shutdowns in 54 countries, as reported by the New York-based digital rights group Access Now. Myanmar accounts for 85 of these outages, making it the nation with the highest number of internet shutdowns worldwide,
Nay Hpone Lat, from the NUG, believes that the implications on the junta’s digital systems may be far worse than they are announcing to the public.
“This disruption could significantly impact their operations, or, they may not be able to resume them.”
