In response to the powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on March 28—causing widespread damage across Myanmar and neighboring Thailand—Direct Relief has committed an initial $100,000 in emergency funds to support response efforts.
The funding will be used to deliver urgently needed medical resources and support frontline health providers caring for those affected by the disaster. Direct Relief is working in coordination with the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management, or AHA Center, the region’s preeminent intergovernmental disaster response body.
Direct Relief maintains a formal collaboration agreement with the AHA Center, established to strengthen preparedness and enable faster, more effective humanitarian response across ASEAN member states. This partnership provides a critical framework for coordination and information sharing during emergencies, ensuring that aid is aligned with national priorities and reaches affected communities efficiently.
The organization has a long history of supporting communities impacted by major disasters in Southeast Asia and beyond, including responses to the Sulawesi and Lombok earthquakes in Indonesia (2018), Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines (2013), the Indian Ocean tsunami (2004), and repeated flooding and cyclone events throughout the region. Direct Relief has also responded to some of the most devastating earthquakes of the past two decades, including the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the 2015 Nepal earthquake, and the dual earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria in 2023.
Health Risks from Earthquakes
Earthquakes typically cause various blunt trauma and orthopedic injuries, such as broken bones, lacerations, and crush syndrome from being trapped under heavy debris. An overwhelming number of injuries in the initial moments of an emergency can create an acute need for health personnel, medical supplies, blood, and medicines.
In addition to the acute medical needs resulting from the earthquake, people can become ill due to their lack of shelter, compromised water and sanitation systems, lack of refrigeration, and untreated injuries. These circumstances can lead to bacterial infections and disease outbreaks among people who are forced into temporary shelters.
Additional support and resources will be mobilized as assessments continue and needs evolve. Direct Relief remains committed to standing with communities impacted by this disaster and supporting the health workers on the frontlines of the response.
