Wrecked roads and rubble are impeding relief efforts in Myanmar, according to the United Nations, as the race to find survivors continues after the deadliest quake in the Southeast Asian nation in years.
Severe shortages of medical supplies – including trauma kits, blood bags, anesthetics and assistive devices in a country isolated from the rest of the world by the military junta – have also complicated relief efforts, the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Saturday.
Health workers on the ground, including in the cities of Mandalay, Magway, Nay Pyi Taw and Sagaing in central and northwestern Myanmar, are struggling to field streams of injured people.
In the south, the townships of Nyaungshwe, Kalaw and Pinlaung are among the hardest-hit by the earthquake, OCHA said in a statement.
“Thousands of people are spending the nights on the streets or (in) open spaces due to the damage and destruction to homes or fearing further quakes,” the agency said.
“As the full scale of the disaster unfolds, urgent humanitarian assistance is needed to support those affected,” it added.
Disruptions to telecommunications and internet services are making it harder still to distribute aid.
As of Friday, more than 1,200 houses, three school buildings, one hotel and several religious structures have been damaged or destroyed, OCHA said, also noting damage to hospitals, major bridges, universities, and historical and public buildings.
