Myanmar’s Earthquake Recovery Falters Amid Civil War and Aid Blo

Five months after a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar, the country remains paralysed by the dual burden of natural disaster and civil conflict. More than 3,800 lives were lost in the March 28 quake, which flattened homes, temples, hospitals and government buildings—many of them still lying in ruins.

In Mandalay, one of the worst-hit areas, recovery efforts continue under monsoon rains and military oversight. Among the rubble stands Thae Mama Swe, a seamstress who has returned daily to the site where her son was buried beneath a collapsed ten-storey building. Nearly 200 bodies have been recovered, but not his. “If it were possible, I would exchange my life for his,” she told reporters.

The tragedy unfolded against the backdrop of Myanmar’s ongoing civil war. Despite a ceasefire declared after the quake, fighting between the military junta and pro-democracy militias has persisted, with airstrikes and artillery fire reported even in quake-affected zones. The United Nations says these attacks have severely disrupted humanitarian aid, leaving millions without support.

The military, known as the Tatmadaw, denies obstructing aid and claims its strikes are defensive. Yet access to remote areas remains restricted, and foreign NGOs operating under junta permission have largely declined to comment.

Infrastructure damage is widespread: nearly 29,000 homes, 5,000 Buddhist pagodas and 43 bridges were destroyed in Mandalay region alone.

Temporary bridges and road repairs are underway, often carried out manually by teams of women labourers. In Naypyitaw, hundreds work around the clock to restore parliament buildings ahead of elections scheduled for December—polls widely dismissed by critics as a façade to legitimise military rule.

Western sanctions and cuts to foreign aid have further strained Myanmar’s recovery. The lack of logistical support, once routinely provided by the United States, has left UN agencies scrambling to deliver supplies and equipment to remote areas.

Officials say international expertise is urgently needed to rebuild earthquake-resistant structures. “With that assistance,” said Aye Min Thu, head of Mandalay’s disaster agency, “we can build a resilient society so future generations will not be easily destroyed.”

But for families like Thae Mama Swe’s, the hope is more immediate: to recover the bodies of loved ones and perform the rites that bring peace. “Then his soul will be free,” she said. “And I can live peacefully.”

-2025-09-05