At 9:30 this morning, the earth began to tremble in Myanmar and neighboring countries in Southeast Asia. In the minutes that followed, countless houses and even the famous Sagaing Bridge, built in 1934, collapsed at the epicenter of the earthquake, the Sagaing region.
arche noVa is assessing the need for aid on the ground
The situation in the affected areas is currently still very unclear. arche noVa is in close contact with local partners and is planning initial measures in the coming hours.
We are currently assessing the situation on the ground and planning the first steps. We assume that there are numerous victims and that we need to take action as quickly as possible to reach the people affected.
The relief efforts that our local partner organizations plan to implement in the disaster area include:
The acute emergency relief is also so urgent because a large proportion of the people in Myanmar live in precarious conditions and the country is marked by ongoing conflicts and frequent natural disasters. “The earthquake will in all likelihood further worsen the humanitarian situation,” said Lorenz Ewers.
Myanmar – a scarred country
The population of Myanmar has been suffering from political conflicts and civil unrest and armed resistance for many years. In addition, natural disasters such as typhoons, floods, droughts and heavy seasonal rainfall occur time and again. All this has severely scarred the country, and according to the United Nations, half of all children in Myanmar live below the poverty line.
arche noVa has been active in Myanmar since 2008
arche noVa has been working in the regions of Rakhine and Shan State for many years to improve the living conditions of people in rural communities.
Our focus is on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) as well as disaster risk reduction. However, one cannot prepare for a disaster of this magnitude. The survivors are therefore in urgent need of support.
