Rescuers Save 653 in Mandalay Earthquake

The government stresses the need to embed disaster resilience and long-term sustainability into the planning and implementation of future national development initiatives.

The State is carrying out earthquake rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts across various sectors, with about 84 per cent of the work completed in different sectors, said Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Acting President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and Chairman of the State Security and Peace Commission, at the first anniversary remembrance of the Mandalay earthquake.
The Senior General delivered a speech and presented commemorative medals to internal and international organizations which participated in the activities of response to the Mandalay earthquake, at the Myanmar International Convention Centre I (MICC I) in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday afternoon.
All attendees at the ceremony observed a one-minute silence to pay tribute to the loss of lives and property in the devastating Mandalay earthquake, which struck on 28 March 2025.
Due to the 7.7 magnitude of the Mandalay earthquake, across 10 regions and states including Nay Pyi Taw, there were 3,818 deaths, five missing persons, and 5,104 injuries. A total of 162,563 households and 424,063 people were affected, with 279,111 people temporarily displaced. The total estimated value of damage and losses exceeded K7,979 billion.
Aids and relief supplies weighing 2,662.321 tonnes donated by organizations from the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, India, Belarus, Bangladesh, Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan and Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, UAE, Venezuela, Vietnam and AHA Centre and all of these stocks were distributed to the earthquake-affected areas.
Moreover, prefabricated offices, prefabricated houses, fuel, emergency operation theatres and medicines donated by the People’s Republic of China were systematically distributed.
During the period, a total of 1,935 rescue crew members and 845 health professionals and medical doctors from 25 countries carried out search and rescue operations and performed healthcare services for the quake-affected people. Meanwhile, members of the Myanmar Fire Brigade, police members, Tatmadaw members, Red Cross members and social organization members, together with international rescue teams, diligently carried out search and rescue for the victims and saved 653 individuals successfully.
The Senior General expressed his honour for the courageous survival of the earthquake-affected people and his recognition for the international rescue teams, Myanmar Fire Brigade, police members, Tatmadaw members, Red Cross membres and social organizations which risked their lives to carry out search and rescue efforts.
The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) was opened on the evening of 28 March 2025, immediately after the earthquake, and emergency response and recovery operations were systematically carried out around the clock, sector by sector, with full effort.
The State prioritized and swiftly implemented measures to search for and rescue those trapped in collapsed buildings, ensure that earthquake-affected people were moved under temporary shelter before the rains, provide for their immediate livelihood needs, restore communications, electricity, and drinking water supply, reopen schools in a timely manner, and deliver healthcare services.
The State provided support of K1 million for each person who died in the earthquake to assist their surviving families. In addition, over K1,600 billion in cash and construction materials were provided to aid the injured and to repair or rebuild damaged homes. More than K3,421.957 billion from the National Disaster Management Fund was allocated to support the repair, restoration, and reconstruction of religious schools, government offices and staff housing, educational, health, and basic infrastructure, as well as religious and cultural heritage buildings.
If the country aims to be built as a nation with guaranteed safety from disasters in the future, it is essential to learn lessons from past losses and damage caused by disasters and to ensure that all future construction of buildings, roads, and bridges fully complies with established standards, including building codes.

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