One month on: Mandalay struggles with quake aftermath and junta neglect

One month after the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on March 28, residents of Mandalay—the country’s second-largest city—are still grappling with the devastation. The initial tremors have long since subsided, but the crisis continues as survivors face dangerous living conditions, extreme heat, and a critical shortage of basic services.

The quake—the strongest in Myanmar in over a century—hit along the highly active Sagaing Fault with a shallow epicentre just 10 km deep, intensifying the destruction. Mandalay and the nearby town of Sagaing were among the hardest-hit areas, and even the capital, Naypyitaw, suffered serious damage. According to the United States Geological Survey, more than 17 million people—roughly one-third of Myanmar’s population—were affected.