Urgent Appeal
IRC teams report staggering humanitarian needs on the ground. People require urgent medical care, clean drinking water, tents, food, and other basic necessities. The IRC and our partners are on the ground in Myanmar, delivering support to impacted communities.
What is the situation on the ground?
On March 28, 2025, a major 7.7 earthquake hit Myanmar, with tremors felt in Thailand and Bangladesh. The government has declared a state of emergency in six regions. While the death toll has reportedly reached 1,700, the full extent of casualties and displacement remains uncertain, and it may be weeks before we understand the full extent of the destruction.
IRC teams on the ground are reporting staggering humanitarian needs. People in earthquake-hit areas urgently require medical care, clean drinking water, tents, food, and other basic necessities.
An IRC staff member reports from Mandalay, Myanmar:
Hospitals are overwhelmed with trauma cases, and many hospital buildings are unusable. Patients are being treated on beds placed outside due to fears of buildings collapsing. However, beyond emergency cases, people are unable to prioritise their health as they struggle to meet their basic survival needs.
This disaster has made the existing humanitarian crisis in Myanmar even worse. There are already 19.9 million people in humanitarian need in the country and 3.5 million people have already been displaced from their homes due to violent conflict. The health system has been decimated by conflict and overwhelmed by diseases like cholera.
What is the IRC doing?
The IRC partners have started distributing essential support to the earthquake-hit communities, including water, hygiene kits, and critical medical assistance. The mobile medical health team is en route to Mandalay, near the epicenter of the earthquake, with essential medicines to provide life-saving aid.
The IRC began working in Myanmar in 2008 following an emergency response to a devastating cyclone that year. We have since expanded our activities, and Myanmar is ranked third on the IRC's Emergency Watchlist due to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the country.
How can I help Myanmar?
IRC teams are responding to critical needs in Myanmar. Our partners are distributing essential support, including water, hygiene kits and medical assistance. An IRC mobile medical team is arriving with life-saving medicine and services.
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What is the International Rescue Committee?
The IRC helps people affected by humanitarian crises to survive, recover and rebuild their lives. For over 90 years, we’ve provided humanitarian aid and long-term support to people affected by conflict, disaster and displacement.
