74 Killed in Myanmar earthquake
A powerful earthquake in Myanmar (also known as Burma) has killed 74 people. More than 110 people are injured and over 240 buildings have collapsed.
The number of casualties is expected to rise as rescue workers try to reach the hardest hit villages located in the mountainous area of Shan State.
Shock & Fear
"The whole town slept on the road last night. Everyone was shocked and afraid. We felt more than 10 very strong aftershocks" said a World Vision staff member in Tarchilek, one of the areas close to the epicentre of the quake.
The hardest hit townships in Tarchilek are Tar Lay and Mong Lin.
Water supply
“World Vision has a longstanding presence in both of the affected areas of Tarchilek and Kyaing Tong” said Chris Herink, World Vision Myanmar National Director.
The Tar Lay bridge connecting the two affected districts is now impassable while water tanks and wells also suffered damage disrupting water supply.
“After verifying that our staff and their families were safe, we immediately turned our attention to helping those most affected” added Chris Herink.
Food and water
“The assessment team who are already in the field this morning will determine what damage has been done, where it is most severe, and what needs are most immediate.”
World Vision will provide an initial relief items like food and water to 250 households as requested by the government.
A more extensive response will be mobilized basing on the assessment and a declaration will be made once a more detailed understanding of the situation is known.
Meanwhile, World Vision offices in China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam reported no major impact in their programme areas after conducting initial assessments. These countries also felt the 7.0 magnitude quake that hit Myanmar.