One month after the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on March 28, residents of Mandalay—the country’s second-largest city—are still grappling with the devastation. The initial tremors have long since subsided, but the crisis continues as survivors face dangerous living conditions, extreme heat, and a critical shortage of basic services.
The quake—the strongest in Myanmar in over a century—hit along the highly active Sagaing Fault with a shallow epicentre just 10 km deep, intensifying the destruction. Mandalay and the nearby town of Sagaing were among the hardest-hit areas, and even the capital, Naypyitaw, suffered serious damage. According to the United States Geological Survey, more than 17 million people—roughly one-third of Myanmar’s population—were affected.
As of April 26, the military junta reported 3,769 deaths, 5,106 injuries, and 107 missing persons across six regions. The United Nations has warned the actual toll may be far higher, potentially exceeding 10,000. The International Organization for Migration estimates that nearly 2 million people remain in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
Despite the scale of the disaster, recovery efforts have been slow and uneven—particularly in opposition-controlled areas of Mandalay and Sagaing regions. In Mandalay, emergency workers are still pulling bodies from the rubble of major collapsed sites, including the Sky Villa condominium and Great Wall Hotel.
“In some buildings, we know there are still bodies inside,” said a 25-year-old female rescue volunteer from Mandalay. “But we haven’t been able to clear them. It’s painful.”
Critics have accused the junta of politicising the rescue effort. Data suggests foreign rescue teams were primarily dispatched to junta strongholds like Naypyitaw—where damage was less severe—while resistance-linked regions like Sagaing received minimal or delayed aid.
Daily life in Mandalay remains grueling. Thousands sleep outdoors or in makeshift shelters due to fears of structural collapse. The intense heat, coupled with rolling blackouts—often limiting electricity to just three hours a day—has worsened living conditions.
“It feels like we’re living in hell,” said the rescue volunteer. “When it’s hot, it’s unbearable. When it rains, it floods. There’s no escape.”
Late on April 27, just hours before the one-month mark of the disaster, a magnitude-4.4 aftershock struck Mandalay, prompting another wave of panic. “Every day, we feel these aftershocks,” she said. “Last night’s was loud and scary. We just ran.”
The trauma of the quake has been compounded by a lack of shelter, water, and electricity, particularly in poor and displaced communities. Civil society groups have raised alarms over a growing mental health crisis, especially among children and the elderly.
While some markets, banks, and hospitals have reopened, movement within the city is restricted by military checkpoints. Armed soldiers guard junta offices, intersections, and collapsed buildings, and a curfew remains in effect in several zones.
With official assistance lacking, grassroots organisations and religious charities have led much of the relief work—distributing food, water, mobile toilets, and temporary housing. In Maha Aungmyay Township, where a massive fire razed entire neighborhoods in the quake’s aftermath, survivors continue to live under tarpaulin shelters, surviving on community donations.
International agencies like the World Health Organization have appealed for urgent aid, including hygiene kits, emergency shelters, and mobile medical units. However, access to quake-hit areas—particularly in resistance-held zones—remains heavily restricted by the junta.
As of April 24, domestic and international philanthropists have donated over 115.876 billion kyat, 2.437 million US dollars, 5 million Korean won, 15 million Indian rupees, 2 million Thai baht, and 3,150 Singapore dollars to the regime and relevant regional and state administrations, according to a statement from Vice Senior General Soe Win, the junta’s second in command. The total comes to more than $29.1 million from both local and international donors.
According to the junta, 60 billion kyat ($13.64 million) was earmarked for Mandalay, 50 billion kyat ($11.36 million) for Sagaing, 10 billion kyat ($2.27 million) for Naypyitaw, and 5 billion kyat ($1.14 million) for Shan State. But many residents say they’ve seen little to none of that support.
“We’re still clearing debris ourselves,” one Mandalay resident said. “There’s been no help from them. People are doing what they can with whatever they have.”
Still, survivors have found ways to honour the dead. Outside collapsed buildings, families and monks gathered today to chant Buddhist prayers and offer alms in remembrance of those lost. Such ceremonies are being held across the city—from pagodas to the banks of the Ayeyarwady River.
With international aid limited—particularly from Western donors who refuse to coordinate with the junta—residents expect the long road to recovery will be paved by their own hands.
