Myanmar
Earthquake Flash
Update No.13
UNICEF Myanmar staff engages with children affected by the earthquake and distributes early childhood Date: 16 May 2025
development kits at a temporary camp in Sagaing. (c) UNICEF Myanmar/2025/Nyan Zay Htet.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
Seven weeks on from the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake on 28 March, central Myanmar remains in crisis as
early monsoon rains and soaring temperatures compound the earthquake related destruction. The Department of
Meteorology and Hydrology has now recorded over 175 aftershocks—including tremors near Nay Pyi Taw and
Wundwin—while official figures report 3,723 deaths, 5,104 injuries and 84 people missing. 6.3 million people—almost
2 million of them children—across 58 townships urgently require life-saving assistance.
Displaced families continue to shelter in overcrowded makeshift settlements, with more than 50,000 homes damaged
or destroyed. Health and nutrition services are stretched to breaking point: over 300 healthcare facilities have been
damaged or destroyed1, staff shortages persist, and lingering insecurity hampers outreach. Many households lack
access to clean water, adequate sanitation and basic health care despite continued efforts to scale up access to
service provision.
Education has been severely disrupted. More than 2,500 schools were damaged or destroyed, 2 displacing tens of
thousands of learners and teachers. Pressure is mounting to vacate makeshift shelters in schools ahead of the June
term, while partners race to repair classrooms, distribute education kits to children, and establish temporary learning
spaces.
Protection risks have deepened. Overcrowding, loss of livelihoods and psychological trauma are driving negative
coping mechanisms—child labour, unsafe migration, family separation and gender-based violence. As per the Gender
in Humanitarian Action Working Group, in many locations, shelters lack basic safety features such as locks, lighting,
and secure entrances further heightening protection risks. Reports of gender-based violence (GBV), including sexual
exploitation and abuse, are rising—particularly in displacement sites, during nighttime hours.3
With the monsoon season commencing soon, the immediate scale-up of emergency shelter repairs, sustainable
WASH infrastructure, health and nutrition services, child protection (including family tracing and psychosocial support)
and mine-risk education is essential to prevent further displacement, disease outbreaks, and protection violations.
Funding Overview
UNICEF estimated funding requirements to address the additional earthquake related immediate and early recovery
needs stands at over US$ 60 million. UNICEF’s Humanitarian Action for Children Appeal for 2025 is in the process
of being updated.
1 AHA Centre, Situation Update No. 10 - M7.7 Mandalay Earthquakes, 23 April 2025
2
ibid.
3 Gender in Humanitarian Action Working Group, Myanmar Earthquake: Gender Situation Report No. 1 (9 May 2025)
1
UNICEF has received a loan from its internal Emergency Programme Fund (EPF) mechanism as well as flexible
global humanitarian thematic funds to kickstart the response but urgently requires additional contributions to sustain
the initial response. UNICEF Myanmar expresses its appreciation for the generous contributions received from the
Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the Government of Japan, and UNICEF National Committee partners,
as well as the in-kind contributions from the European Union.
UNICEF Response
WASH
As of 15 May, UNICEF and partners have
reached an estimated 600,000 people with
temporary access to safe water through the
distribution of water purification chemicals and
water trucking. Life-saving WASH supplies
continue to be provided to 650 households
(3,250 people) in Sagaing and 150 households
(435 people) in Tada-U, Mandalay. An inter-
agency supply distribution is planned for 287
households in Pindaya and Ywar-gan
townships in the coming weeks. To date,
UNICEF has supported approximately
310,000 people with their daily hygiene and
water needs.
Women carry humanitarian relief supplies during a UNICEF distribution in
As recovery and rehabilitation efforts Mandalay. © UNICEF Myanmar/2025/Nyan Zay Htet
progress, the need for sustainable WASH
infrastructure in communities, schools, and healthcare facilities is growing. With the monsoon season approaching,
UNICEF has proactively engaged over 10 partners, UN agencies, and stakeholders to conduct WASH technical
assessments, strengthen partnerships, and undertake joint field visits to ensure long-term, sustainable access to
WASH services.
Health and Nutrition
UNICEF is intensifying its emergency response to
address critical health and nutrition needs in
communities affected by the recent earthquake. At least
29 out of 58 townships have received emergency health
and nutrition supplies through coordinated efforts with
partners on the ground. The team continues to explore
innovative distribution strategies to reach remote and
hard-to-access areas.
In parallel, UNICEF is coordinating with the public health
system and expanding partnerships with local
organizations to scale-up mobile outreach services,
health awareness activities, and targeted mini-
campaigns focused on micronutrient supplementation
A mother and her eight-day old baby received a newborn kit during the
and vaccinations. These efforts aim to ensure that more
essential health care service for the mother and newborn children in
children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers
Mandalay. UNICEF Myanmar/2025/Nyan Zay Htet
can access essential and emergency health and
nutrition services when they need it.
2
To date, UNICEF supported partners have provided healthcare services to 50,983, including 23,612 children (12,357
girls and 11,255 boys) and 17,720 women affected by the earthquake.
As part of its ongoing earthquake response, UNICEF and partners have made key gains in child nutrition and caregiver
education. Nearly 4,7800 caregivers have received Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) counselling to promote
healthy feeding practices. Over 4,300 children have been provided with Micronutrient Powders (MNPs) to address
nutritional deficiencies, and over 2,730 children have undergone Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) screenings
to identify and treat acute malnutrition.
Child Protection
As of 14 May, UNICEF and partners have reached 42,459 people, including 33,899 children (19,151 girls and 14,748
boys) with child protection services in earthquake-affected areas. Mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS)
activities reached 16,751 individuals (8,088 girls, 6,837 boys, 1,346 women and 480 men) through child- and women-
friendly spaces at the community level, helping to address the emotional impacts of the earthquake.
To respond to the needs of the children and
adolescents, UNICEF distributed 4,276 age- and
gender-appropriate child protection kits, benefiting
10,728 children (6,366 girls and 4,362 boys). The
distribution was accompanied by key messages on
violence against children, gender-based violence
(GBV), prevention and risk mitigation, prevention of
sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) by aid workers,
and explosive ordinance risk (EOR) awareness.
Through individual case management, 160 children
(89 girls and 71 boys), primarily those experiencing
psychological distress, received specialized support
Children listen as a UNICEF officer reads stories during a MHPSS session in services.
Nay Pyi Taw. © UNICEF Myanmar/2025/Nyi Thit Htun
Community-level sessions reached 7,111 people
(1,676 girls, 1,287 boys, 2,609 women and 1,539 men), providing information on child protection in emergencies,
GBV prevention and mitigation, EOR information, positive parenting, self-care, and preventing family separation.
A total of 6,836 people (2,612 girls, 2,057 boys, 1,467 women and 700 men) received information on PSEA, and how
to access safe reporting channels. Additionally, 523 children with disabilities benefited from various child protection
interventions.
Education
UNICEF remains committed to ensuring continued
learning and protection for children impacted by the
earthquake in Myanmar. As a part of the education
response, UNICEF has been establishing safe learning
spaces where children can learn, play, interact with
peers, and access MHPSS.
To date, 14,150 children (7,444 girls and 6,706 boys,
including 34 children with disabilities) have received a
wide range of education supplies, including Early
Childhood Development (ECD) kits, recreational kits, Children gather beside a recreation kit supplied by UNICEF in Kyaukse
and school kits. Additionally, roofing sheets, tarpaulins township, Mandalay. © UNICEF Myanmar/2025/Nyan Zay Htet
and school tents are being distributed to set up safe
learning spaces in monastic schools and community-based learning centres.
3
Training activities for teachers, educators and community volunteers are ongoing across affected areas to ensure the
effective use of education materials. In Nay Pyi Taw, UNICEF supported sessions to raise awareness among local
volunteers about the education pathways, the use of ECD and recreation kits, and earthquake response strategies
for Education in Emergencies. These efforts emphasize the importance of psychosocial support in learning and
contribute to the continuity of education and children’s well-being.
With the new academic year beginning in June, UNICEF is preparing to distribute additional ECD kits, school kits,
recreation kits, and Essential Learning Packages (ELPs) to children once schools and learning centres reopen. These
supplies are already arriving in affected areas. UNICEF is also working closely with the Education Cluster to assess
needs and coordinate responses, ensuring no overlap in efforts.
In parallel, UNICEF is advancing "Back-to-Learning" activities, including the development of key messages to
encourage families to send children back to school and learning spaces. The messaging will emphasize how schools
and temporary learning spaces support recovery by reducing stress and trauma and raising awareness on disaster
and earthquake safety. This initiative aims to restore a sense of normalcy in children’s lives.
Social Protection and Cash
UNICEF continues to deliver humanitarian multi-purpose cash
assistance, helping earthquake-affected families meet their
basic needs—including food, shelter, safe water, and other
essential household items. To date, UNICEF and partners have
reached 25,815 children and adults in the worst-affected
townships in Mandalay, Sagaing, Shan, Bago, Kayin, and Nay
Pyi Taw. By providing flexible, unconditional cash transfers
directly to affected families, this support helps protect child well-
being, reduce harmful coping strategies, and stimulate local
economic recovery.
Priority is given to families that are displaced, have lost their
primary livelihoods, or have heightened vulnerabilities—such as
A UNICEF officer explains the humanitarian cash assistance households caring for young children, pregnant and lactating
programme to families at a displacement site in Pyinmana
women, and persons with disabilities. Disability screenings
township, Naypyitaw. © UNICEF Myanmar/2025/Thida
Aung accompany cash distributions to quickly identify and address
additional needs. UNICEF continues to coordinate with the Cash
Working Group and other partners to maintain harmonized targeting criteria, transfer values, and delivery mechanisms
as the recovery response scales up.
Social and Behaviour Change
In response to the aftermath of the earthquake, UNICEF efforts are pivotal in addressing both the immediate and
evolving needs of the affected communities. Through Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE)
affected families are receiving lifesaving information to stay safe and mitigate risk of disease outbreaks. UNICEF is
collaborating with WHO and IFRC in developing comprehensive communication plan for earthquake and mitigate the
risks of disease outbreak during monsoon rains. Engaging communities in the recovery process is crucial in fostering
resilience and support to psychosocial healing. The efforts are complemented through social media platforms which
facilitated information sharing reaching 60,725 people. Over 19,000 people have been engaged through an Interactive
Voice Response (IVR) system with messaging on tips around safety actions after earthquake, health and hygiene,
emotional well-being and community support, safe shelter and risks of snakebite awareness. The interactions are
monitored on the engagement of the messages.
Integrating health education with distribution of hygiene and clean delivery kits has proven effective, communities
learning through practical ways on the "four cleans"—clean water, food, hands, and toilets—and the use of chlorine
4
tablets to reduce disease risk. More than 10,987 households (over 55,000 people) in Mandalay Region and Nay Pyi
Taw have been reached to date.
Nearly 4,000 community members in three most affected areas in Nay Pi Taw and Mandalay regions have participated
in community consultation sessions aimed at promoting adoption of hygiene and sanitation practices in the makeshift
areas and addressing concerns on current situation and basic practices on handwashing, sanitation, safe drinking
water, health-seeking behaviours, earthquake awareness, breastfeeding, complementary feeding and early childcare
and development.
Humanitarian Leadership and Coordination
OCHA is coordinating the overall humanitarian response with all clusters through coordination mechanisms
established at the national and sub-national levels. UNICEF continues to lead the WASH Cluster, Nutrition Cluster,
Child Protection and Mine Action AoRs, and co-leads the Education Cluster with Save the Children.
In response to the earthquake, the WASH Cluster and its partners have reached over 294,000 individuals as of 14
May, primarily through emergency interventions such as providing safe drinking water (via filtration systems, water
trucking), constructing emergency sanitation facilities, and distributing hygiene items. The WASH Cluster is now
urging a transition toward sustainable solutions, including rehabilitation of damage WASH infrastructure. A WASH
technical assessment has been launched to inform early recovery, with partners collecting data until 23 May. However,
progress on rehabilitation remains limited, and additional are urgently needed to support the shift from emergency
relief to long-term services. Many rural and urban displacement sites still lack solid waste management systems,
posing ongoing environmental and public health risks.
The Nutrition Cluster partners have been delivering lifesaving nutrition services in earthquake-affected communities.
As of 14 May, 2,883 children and 241 pregnant and lactating women (PLW) were screened for acute malnutrition,
with appropriate referrals made for treatment. Twenty-nine children diagnosed with acute malnutrition received
lifesaving treatment. To promote healthy feeding practices, 2,228 caregivers and PLW received IYCF counselling. In
addition, 2,810 children and 1,396 PLWs have received Multiple Micronutrient, while 4,535 children and 993 PLWs
were enrolled in the Blanket Supplementary Feeding Programme. To address food insecurity, nutritious food parcels
containing rice, chickpeas, iodized salt, cooking oil, and fortified biscuits were distributed to vulnerable households
across Mandalay and Sagaing. All nutrition interventions are being implemented in close coordination with other
humanitarian sectors, including WASH, Health, Food Security, and Protection, as part of a joint multi-sectoral
earthquake response. However, challenges such as limited partner presence, physical access, damaged
infrastructure, ongoing security concerns, and funding and supply chain constraints are hampering the scale and
continuity of the response. Mobilizing additional resources and expanding partnerships remain critical.
The Child Protection Area of Responsibility (AoR) continues to deliver lifesaving services to earthquake-affected
children, caregivers and communities. As of 14 May, 42,769 individuals—including 38,051 children (17,065 boys and
20,986 girls) had been reached. Key interventions included the distribution of child protection kits to 11,279 children,
case management services for 983 children, gender-responsive programming for 389 adolescents, dissemination of
protection messages to 4,784 people, and provision of psychosocial support to 25,322 people.
The CP AoR has issued activity guidance for partners covering the three-month post-earthquake period and
developed a two-page guide establishing Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS), supported by a virtual training attended by
over 120 participants on 13 May. In the northwest, case management is being scaled up, supported by a five-day
training and bi-weekly coordination meetings. A total of 53 religious leaders have also been trained on early
identification and safe referral of protection concerns, alongside self-care and psychological first aid, A response
dashboard4 is now updated bi-weekly to support coordination and identify gaps.
Mine Action AoR partners have reached 2,524 people with Explosive Ordinance Risk Education (EORE) and victim
assistance. Of these, 2,465 people including 998 children (445 boys, 553 girls), and 41 persons with disability received
EORE. Victim assistance has reached 59 survivors, including 39 who received rehabilitation services, and 11 who
4 Microsoft Power BI
5
received with cash-based support. Digital EORE messages have been widely disseminated in multiple languages
through local media and community networks. Maps showing overlap between contaminated and earthquake-affected
areas have been developed to guide prioritization. While victim assistance is expanding, particularly in the northwest,
prosthetic and rehabilitation services remain delayed due to access constraints and incomplete referral pathways.
Online institutional EORE training has also been provided for northwest responders.
The Education Cluster partners are supporting preparations for the reopening of schools for the 2025-2026 academic
year, with ongoing data collection and technical guidance provided by the Cluster. Cluster partners have so far
reached 5,076 children across Kayin, Mandalay, and Sagaing regions with emergency education support. In Kayin,
1,977 children (976 girls and 1,001 boys) received emergency education supplies, while 499 more children (246 girls
and 253 boys) accessed child-friendly learning spaces. In Mandalay, 600 children benefited from similar interventions,
and in Sagaing, emergency education supplies were distributed to 2,000 children. In Bago (East), partners provided
zinc roofing sheets to establish temporary learning spaces after church-based schools supporting 393 students were
damaged. In Nyaung Shwe, 3,000 student kits are set for distribution next week. Additional support is being arranged
for displaced school-aged children in camps, monasteries, and churches.
Despite ongoing efforts, partners face major challenges due to limited funding for early recovery, particularly for
schools’ repairs and the reconstruction of temporary learning spaces. While capacity exists to distribute supplies,
sustained financial support is needed to ensure continuity of education services for affected children.
Human Interest Stories and External Media
Human Interest Stories:
The quake stopped, but he hasn’t slept since: Myanmar’s children struggle with trauma after devastating
earthquake
https://www.unicef.org/myanmar/stories/quake-stopped-he-hasnt-slept
“We had nothing but each other”: UNICEF emergency cash assistance offers a critical lifeline to families
after Myanmar’s devastating earthquake
https://www.unicef.org/myanmar/stories/emergency-cash-transfer-families-myanmar-earthquake
Selected social media:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16HsRN98rx/
https://x.com/UNICEFMyanmar/status/1920805526692151804
In case of media requests, please contact Eliane Luthi, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific, Tel: +66 654 154 874,
[email protected]
For further Marcoluigi Corsi Julia Rees Faika Farzana
information contact: Representative Deputy Representative Emergency Manager
Myanmar Country Office Programmes Myanmar Country Office
Email:
[email protected] Myanmar Country Office Email:
[email protected] Email:
[email protected]
