Sagaing Aftershock, Airstrikes, and a Humanitarian Collapse

According to propaganda from Chinese state media and Burma’s junta-controlled outlet, The Global New Light of Myanmar, post-earthquake debris clearance is reportedly progressing rapidly, with 80% completion claimed in Mandalay and 50% in Sagaing. But the reality on the ground tells a different story: millions remain exposed to displacement, searing heat, early monsoon rains, rising disease outbreaks, and a severe lack of shelter, food, and medical care.

More than a month after the 7.7-magnitude twin earthquakes struck central Burma on March 28, the country is spiraling deeper into crisis. Over 3,800 people were killed, more than 11,000 injured, and at least 55,000 homes destroyed or damaged across multiple regions, including Sagaing, one of the hardest-hit areas. Families already displaced by four years of civil war now find themselves living in makeshift shelters, with little protection from the elements and no reliable access to health or sanitation services.