Myanmar Earthquake: Heavy rains force people back into damaged buildings

Untimely heavy rains have deepened the misery for families left homeless by the earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, increasing the risk of disease and forcing people to risk their lives seeking refuge in damaged buildings, ActionAid warned. 

The earthquake destroyed an estimated 1,853 buildings and damaged 2,290 in the hardest-hit regions of Mandalay and Sagaing. Thousands who lost their homes are sleeping outside in the open or in makeshift shelters – often using only plastic sheets – which offer little defence against the monsoon downpours. 

ActionAid warned that the spread of waterborne diseases like cholera and diarrhoea are now a major threat due to a severe lack of sanitation systems. In the Inle Lake area, where thousands of people have been forced to live on boats after their homes collapsed into the lake, ActionAid’s partners have reported that 600 people are sharing a single toilet in a monastery.  

Aung Min Naing, Program Director of Future Light Youth Development Organisation, one of ActionAid’s partners in Sagaing, said:  

“The heavy rain is a second disaster for thousands of families who lost everything in the earthquake. Many people have been sleeping out in the open on mats, with the few belongings they’ve been able to salvage. Now that the storms have started, where are they supposed to go? The bamboo shelters we built were designed to offer shade from the intense heat – not to withstand these kinds of storms. Tarpaulins have been ripped away by the wind, and people have nowhere dry to go. Some are even taking refuge in damaged buildings that could collapse at any moment.”  

Jagat Patnaik, ActionAid’s Head of Asia Region, said:  

“The risk of disease is growing fast. The heavy rain threatens to contaminate water sources and overwhelm sanitation systems, increasing the risk of diseases like cholera and diarrhoea. In Inle Lake, we’ve heard from our partners that 600 people are sharing a single toilet. We need to act fast to improve sanitation before the situation spirals out of control. 

“Our partners are working as fast as they can to build safer, storm-proof shelters and provide clean water and sanitation, but with more heavy rain expected, the needs are growing by the day. 

“We need to get critical funds to organisations working in Myanmar to support these efforts. We urge the international community to do everything they can to prevent more unnecessary deaths from this disaster.” 

ActionAid is supporting local organisations in Mandalay, Sagaing and Inle Lake to deliver emergency food, clean water and shelter to the worst-hit communities. It has launched a fundraising appeal to support these efforts.