By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS – UN relief chief Tom Fletcher on Friday said that UN teams in the region are “responding fast” after reports of hundreds dead or missing in a 7.7 magnitude earthquake with its epicentre in central Myanmar,
The Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher tweeted that UN teams are being “supported by expertise across our global network” and the UN Central Emergency Relief Fund would be mobilized as needed.
Local news reports quoted sources in Mandalay, close to the epicentre of the quake, indicate that hundreds have died.
According to the Thai deputy prime minister, with a search and rescue operation underway in neighboring Thailand with over 80 construction workers are missing,.
Secretary General António Guterres sent condolences to all those in the region impacted and underlined that the UN system is mobilizing as fast as possible in support.
UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Myanmar in a statement said that reports indicate “significant damage” has occurred in Mandalay state, as well as Nay Pyi Taw, Bago, Magway, Sagaing, Shan “and possibly other areas”.
” Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by this event…We are gathering information about the people impacted, infrastructure damage, and immediate humanitarian needs to guide a response and will share more updates as information becomes available.”
Sheela Matthew of the WFP said the quake had hit Myanmar “at the worst possible time. With one in four in the country already facing acute food insecurity, Myanmar just can’t afford another disaster.”
She said WFP has stocks of ready-to-eat food available in warehouses “and we are ready to respond as needed.”
Marie Manrique, Programme Coordinator for the Myanmar country team of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies told journalists from Rangoon that the quake had also been felt in China, Thailand, and India.
She said that beyond damage to buildings and infrastructure, there was concern over potential dam bursts. Electricity and communications have been cut off in parts of the country.
Marie Manrique said the Myanmar Red Cross Society had launched an emergency operation to help people in need and assess the situation.
WHO in Geneva, Dr. Margaret Harris said relief efforts were underway in coordination with country offices in Myanmar and Thailand.
She said the agency had activated its logistics hub in Dubai to primarily provide trauma supplies and a health needs assessment is underway.
UNHCR representative Babar Baloch said that the central and northwest parts of Myanmar had the highest number of internally displaced people due to the conflict.
Over 11.6 million IDPs out of the total 3.5 million live in these areas and the catastrophe will only exacerbate hardships, he added.
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