Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has launched an urgent appeal in response to the devastating Myanmar Earthquake as member charities on the ground provide essential aid.
On Friday 28 March 2025, Myanmar was struck by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake. The death toll continues to rise, and hundreds of people are still missing following the strongest earthquake to hit the country in decades. Millions of survivors have been left without access to safe shelter, food, clean water and medical care.
Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has launched an urgent appeal to support the relief efforts of DEC charities on the ground in Myanmar.
SUMMARY OF THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION
- An estimate of up to 10.1 million people were exposed to strong and very strong shaking and 7,000 people to violent shaking.
- Estimated 19.9 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
- Children are among the most affected.
- Myanmar’s military leaders have declared a state of emergency across six regions.
People in Myanmar were already facing a severe humanitarian crisis. A third of the population, was in need of humanitarian aid. Now the situation is catastrophic.
Across Myanmar, an estimated 3.5 million people were already internally displaced, with many living in temporary shelters, informal camps or jungles where they face severe shortages of basic services and resources such as food and clean water.
Despite the many challenges, DEC charities have worked in Myanmar for decades and have a strong local partner base, rooted in the affected communities and able to rapidly respond. They urgently need more funds to scale up their work and reach the most vulnerable.
HOW DEC MEMBER CHARITIES ARE RESPONDING
Shelter
- Establishing community-led shelters to house affected communities, primarily women and children.
- Distributions of emergency shelter items and non-food items.
Food
- Food distributions to communities, directly to households or through community response initiatives.
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
- Distribution of clean drinking water.
- Distribution of hygiene and dignity kits using prepositioned stock.
Multipurpose cash
- Members have started distributing cash to households.
Health
- Distribution of first aid kits at camps and delivery of medical services through mobile clinics.
- Distribution of emergency medicines and assistive devices such as wheelchairs.
Protection
- Mental health services to earthquake affected communities.
- Support for children who have been injured by the earthquake.
NAVIGATING A CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT
DEC members have a long established presence in Myanmar and member charities are already supporting affected communities.
14 of the 15 DEC member charities were already working in Myanmar directly or through local and national partners and are present in the regions most impacted by the earthquakes. They are currently assessing the situation with their local and national partners, with some already beginning to respond where needs are clear.
Local partners are a key part of any DEC response. Their member charities have strong local connections with the community, religious leaders, and elders, and have negotiated access locally to ensure they can get aid to the people who need it most. These relationships help ensure aid reaches intended recipients.
In response to the severe shortages of basic services and resources such as food and clean water, member charities are continuously adapting to use all available routes to get goods into Myanmar, whilst establishing more decentralised warehouses and expanding storage capacity to accommodate essential supplies.
HOW TO SUPPORT THIS URGENT APPEAL
These powerful earthquakes in Myanmar have caused catastrophic devastation. Survivors urgently need critical support. Please donate now.
How to Donate
To donate online please visit the DEC website.
Phone: 0330 123 0555 (Standard network charges apply)
Text to give/SMS: SUPPORT to 70727 to donate £10. (Texts cost £10 plus your standard network rate)