Rescue Efforts Stall in Myanmar City Ravaged by Earthquake as Soldiers Struggle to Help

Three days post the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake, Myanmar’s Sagaing city—home to 300,000 residents—is in dire straits. With roads damaged and a military blockade hindering aid, help trickles in slowly, leaving locals to fend for themselves. Military forces have detained aid trucks and restricted volunteers, impeding crucial search-and-rescue operations. The earthquake’s toll has risen to 2,056 lives lost, with injuries affecting another 3,900. Preliminary models suggest the final death count could exceed 10,000.

Sagaing, identified as the disaster’s epicenter, faces significant challenges, including a lack of access to essential services. Meanwhile, international aid is constrained by the junta’s terms. Local volunteers, like U Tin Shwe, express frustration as efforts to assist trapped survivors are blocked by military checkpoints. The urgency of the situation intensifies as hospitals overflow with casualties. Hundreds of residents sleep outdoors, exposed to elements, while basic necessities dwindle.

International organizations are stepping in, with teams like a 50-member trauma response unit from Malaysia managing limited access. Despite the military’s control, humanitarian efforts are critical as the region, already struggling from prior conflicts, faces an unprecedented crisis. The call for coordinated support is louder than ever to alleviate Sagaing’s catastrophic conditions.