Myanmar earthquake casts shadow over Thingyan water festival celebrations

Thousands mourn and mark the new year amid devastation and loss from the deadly quake.

Customers browse clay pots at a street market in Mandalay on April 13, 2025, in preparation for Myanmar's New Year water festival, Thingyan, following the devastating earthquake on March 28. Photo by Sai Aung Main/AFP

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

The Myanmar earthquake has cast a deep shadow over the country’s most festive holiday, the Thingyan water festival, as survivors continue to mourn over 3,600 lives lost and struggle with life in tents, destroyed infrastructure, and a worsening humanitarian crisis. The powerful 7.7-magnitude tremor that struck late last month left central Myanmar in ruins, devastating key cities like Mandalay and Sagaing just weeks before the traditional new year celebrations.

Typically, the five-day Thingyan festival would see the streets filled with joyful splashing of water, dancing, and music to usher in the new year. But this year, the Myanmar earthquake has changed the mood entirely. The destruction left behind has muted the celebrations, turning what was meant to be a joyous occasion into one of grief, resilience, and quiet tradition.

Life among the ruins of Mandalay and Sagaing

In Mandalay, the second-largest city in Myanmar and one of the hardest-hit areas, the destruction is overwhelming. Pancaked apartment buildings, demolished businesses, and makeshift encampments now define the landscape. Many of the displaced are camped near the quake-damaged Royal Palace, seeking whatever shade and safety they can find in the unforgiving 44-degree Celsius heat.

Among the survivors is Ma Phyu, a 55-year-old woman sheltering with nine family members in a temporary tent camp north of the Royal Palace. Despite the devastation, she still upholds the tradition of placing a clay pot filled with water and flower sprigs inside her shelter to honor the new year. "Everyone is in trouble this year," she said. "I have to prepare the pot with the flowers because it is our tradition. But my heart is heavy."

She recalled how the children in her camp were told not to play with water this year. There would be no music, no dances, and no public joy — not while the city mourns its dead and picks through the rubble of its past.

Survivors face worsening conditions

The Myanmar earthquake not only brought down buildings but also exposed long-standing issues. As temperatures rise and monsoon rains loom, survivors fear that their temporary shelters may not hold. Many still do not have access to working toilets, and clean drinking water is limited. Long queues for basic necessities have become part of daily life, while medical and psychological support remains scarce.

Aid groups say the scale of the disaster has outstripped their ability to respond effectively. Official figures estimate that more than 5,200 buildings have been destroyed. Meanwhile, the United Nations reports over two million people are now in need of humanitarian assistance due to the earthquake in Myanmar.

Adding to the difficulty is a shrinking pool of international aid. The World Food Programme recently announced that it will have to cut off assistance to one million people this month due to a shortfall in donations. This emergency comes just after the UN issued a $275 million appeal to support the country's recovery efforts.

Tragedy unfolds during an ongoing civil conflict

The Myanmar earthquake has exacerbated a crisis already fueled by years of political instability and civil war. Since the 2021 military coup, the country has been ravaged by armed conflict, mass displacement, and economic collapse. Even before the quake, many communities were already on the edge of survival.

Despite a declared ceasefire following the quake, reports indicate that Myanmar’s military continues to carry out air strikes and offensives. The junta, meanwhile, has accused anti-coup guerillas and ethnic armed groups of breaking the ceasefire and continuing their own attacks.

The UN Human Rights Office voiced concern this week. “At a moment when the sole focus should be on ensuring humanitarian aid gets to disaster zones, the military is instead launching attacks,” said spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani. Her statement highlights the challenges of delivering aid in a country where both natural disaster and manmade conflict are wreaking havoc on the population.

Thingyan traditions subdued by sorrow

While the military junta ordered that the Thingyan water festival be observed with no music or dancing, families across Myanmar still tried to hold onto fragments of the tradition. In tent camps and damaged homes, many quietly prepared their ceremonial clay pots and placed them inside their shelters — a symbolic act of cleansing, even in the face of overwhelming sorrow.

In Mandalay and Sagaing, streets that would usually host crowds armed with water guns and joyful cheers were instead empty and silent. The joy that usually marks the arrival of a new year was replaced by the weight of loss and the struggle for survival.

"Even if we don’t splash water, we still want to honor our traditions," said a survivor who lost his home in Sagaing. “This is still our new year, but it doesn’t feel like one.”

The international community has been slow to respond. The U.S. State Department, citing budgetary constraints, has been unable to commit to new funding for Myanmar. Meanwhile, regional neighbors like Thailand and India have pledged support, but logistical challenges in delivering aid to conflict-affected zones have hampered those efforts.

A high-rise collapse in Bangkok during the quake also underscored the broad reach of the tremors. Dozens were trapped, and rescue efforts there have been ongoing. While Thailand escaped the worst, the incident serves as a reminder of the quake’s regional impact.

Inside Myanmar, officials warn that more tremors may come. Seismologists say that aftershocks are possible in the weeks ahead, raising fears of further damage to already weakened infrastructure. Emergency responders continue to sift through debris, but hope of finding survivors has largely faded.

National unity amid sorrow

Despite the pain and suffering, moments of unity and resilience continue to emerge. Volunteers have set up community kitchens in the camps. Young people are helping distribute water and basic supplies. Buddhist monks and nuns lead quiet prayer sessions near collapsed temples.

“We’ve lost so much, but we haven’t lost each other,” said one camp volunteer in Mandalay. “That’s what keeps us going.”

As the Thingyan festival continues this week, Myanmar finds itself in a delicate balance — caught between mourning the past and fighting for the future. The Myanmar earthquake has left a scar on the nation, but its people continue to show remarkable strength in the face of unimaginable tragedy.