UNICEF Urges Urgent Global Support for Children After Devastating Myanmar Earthquake
TORONTO — UNICEF is sounding the alarm following a catastrophic 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, leaving a trail of destruction across central regions and pushing millions of already vulnerable children into deeper crisis.
The quake has claimed more than 1,600 lives and injured over 3,400 people, with numbers expected to rise as search and rescue efforts continue. The hardest-hit areas include Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw, Sagaing, Bago, and Shan, where homes, hospitals, schools, and essential infrastructure have crumbled, and landslides have cut off entire communities from power and communication.
“This earthquake is another brutal blow to children in Myanmar—many of whom were already living through conflict, displacement, and deprivation,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell in a statement released Sunday. “In minutes, they lost loved ones, homes, and access to essential services. The needs are massive and rising by the hour.”
Children face a multitude of dangers, including physical injuries, psychological trauma, separation from families, and the collapse of what little structure remained in their lives. Many families, already struggling in displacement camps or impoverished areas, now have limited access to safe water, healthcare, or shelter.
UNICEF teams are already on the ground, delivering life-saving aid and conducting urgent assessments in collaboration with local responders. An initial 80 metric tons of emergency supplies—ranging from medical kits and tents to hygiene items like soap, sanitary pads, and disinfectants—are being dispatched.
But the response faces enormous challenges.
Myanmar was already grappling with a complex humanitarian emergency before the earthquake, with more than 6.5 million children in need of aid. One in three displaced people in the country is a child. Despite the urgent situation, less than 10 per cent of UNICEF’s 2025 Humanitarian Action for Children appeal has been funded.
UNICEF is now calling on the international community to respond swiftly, with increased funding and support for safe and unrestricted humanitarian access. Immediate priorities include providing clean water, medical care, psychosocial support, and emergency education to protect and stabilize children in crisis.
“Children in Myanmar are enduring a crisis on top of a crisis,” Russell said. “UNICEF is scaling up our life-saving work, and the international community is responding, but more resources are urgently needed to save and protect the lives of children and their families.”
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