UNICEF Myanmar Flash Update No. 7 (Earthquake)

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs

Two weeks have now passed since the devastating 7.7 and 6.4 magnitude earthquakes that hit central Myanmar on 28 March 2025. Since then, over 110 aftershocks ranging from magnitudes 2.8 to 7.5 have been reported. Over 3,600 people are confirmed dead and over 5,000 have been injured, while a further 145 remain missing (as of 10 April).

More than 9.1 million people (including 2.7 million children) are estimated to live in the worst affected areas across 58 townships in Bago East, Kayin, Magway, Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw, Shan South, and Sagaing. Of these, 6.3 million people are estimated to be in urgent need of assistance and protection as indicated in the Earthquake Flash Addendum. The number of people in need of humanitarian assistance has increased by 2 million as a result of the earthquake impacts.

The full extent of the damage continues to emerge as reports from multiple Rapid Needs Assessments come in from across the impacted areas. Vital power, communications and transport infrastructure have been disrupted, leaving affected communities without access to electricity, phone and internet services, and hampering efforts to restart markets as well as to get relief goods into the worst affected areas. Damage to local markets and businesses is impacting the availability and cost of food and other essential items, further exacerbating concerns, in particular for the nutritional status of children and women.

The latest figures show almost 50,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed, and ongoing aftershocks threaten further damage. Many of the hardest-hit townships were already contaminated with landmines, and the earthquake has shifted or exposed explosive remnants, significantly increasing the danger for families forced to flee their homes. Many families are sleeping outside – exposed to extreme heat and off-season rains, as well as mosquito-borne diseases, including dengue and malaria. There has been widespread destruction of water systems, including broken boreholes and damaged piped networks, along with the collapse of over 43,500 latrines. There is a growing concern among communities about the risk of infectious diseases due to improperly managed corpses and the lack of access to safe water and sanitation facilities. A cluster of mild to moderate acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) cases has been reported in Sagaing township and urban areas of Mandalay. With over 193 healthcare facilities damaged and remaining health facilities overwhelmed and reporting critical shortages of medical supplies, there is an urgent need to support access to basic health services, safe drinking water and water for hygiene, and adequate sanitation facilities.

The earthquake has sharply intensified risks of violence, exploitation, and abuse, especially for women and girls staying in overcrowded shelters, where privacy and safety are limited, and it is critical that all sectors integrate gender-based violence mitigation measures into their responses. For children separated from their families, case management, family tracing and reunification needs to be immediately undertaken. Psychosocial distress is widespread as parents and children cope with trauma, aftershock fears, and uncertainty about the future. Provision of safe spaces for children to learn, play and receive essential mental health and psychosocial support is critical.

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