UN urges $275 million in aid for Myanmar earthquake survivors

UN launches emergency appeal after Myanmar’s deadly 7.7 quake leaves over one million in urgent need.

People take shelter in temporary tents set up amid the debris of homes destroyed by fire in Mandalay on April 11, 2025, following the devastating March 28 earthquake. Photo by Sai Aung Main/AFP

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

The United Nations has issued an emergency Myanmar earthquake aid appeal, calling for $275 million in urgent funding to assist more than one million people devastated by the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck the country on March 28. The quake, one of the most powerful in Myanmar’s recent history, left a trail of destruction, claiming more than 3,600 lives and leaving over six million people in dire need of humanitarian support.

The UN’s call for support comes at a time when its existing humanitarian operations in Myanmar are already drastically underfunded. According to the new appeal released Friday, only about five percent of the $1.1 billion requested earlier in the year to assist 5.5 million people has been fulfilled. This alarming funding gap, now widened by the earthquake's impact, is placing millions of lives at risk.

The new Myanmar earthquake aid appeal aims to focus assistance on the most vulnerable 1.1 million individuals, many of whom are living in isolated, earthquake-ravaged communities. Women and girls are expected to be disproportionately affected. The UN emphasized that they are at increased risk of gender-based violence, hunger, and lack of access to reproductive healthcare—especially in remote areas where the quake has destroyed infrastructure and disrupted local services.

In a statement accompanying the appeal, UN officials described the scale of the disaster and the immediate threats facing survivors. “With new and increasing needs, additional resources are urgently required,” the report said, stressing the urgency of mobilizing funds before the situation worsens.

Over 6.3 million in need

The March 28 earthquake was a catastrophic event that affected several regions across Myanmar, destroying homes, schools, and hospitals. Many survivors are now living in makeshift shelters or crowded camps with limited access to clean water, food, or medical care. According to the UN, more than 6.3 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance in the areas hit hardest by the quake.

Relief agencies say the logistical challenges are immense. In addition to widespread infrastructural damage, conflict zones and government restrictions have hampered the delivery of aid to many communities, particularly in the northern and central regions of the country.

Despite the severity of the crisis, international support has been slow. The original humanitarian aid plan for Myanmar—created before the earthquake—has only received a fraction of its funding. With only five percent of the $1.1 billion secured, aid workers are struggling to meet even the most basic needs.

The UN’s revised Myanmar earthquake aid appeal adds to this unmet demand by requesting an additional $275 million to respond to the new layer of emergency caused by the quake. If the appeal fails to attract immediate global attention and funding, UN officials warn the death toll could rise, not only from injuries and trauma but also from hunger, disease, and lack of shelter.

The UN report places special focus on women and girls, who it says face “higher risks of gender-based violence, food insecurity, and lack of access to reproductive health” in the aftermath of the earthquake. Aid agencies on the ground are calling for targeted support to ensure safe housing, food, and medical services are provided with these vulnerabilities in mind.

“With schools destroyed, health clinics down, and entire communities displaced, we must not overlook how these crises affect women and children differently,” said one humanitarian worker coordinating relief efforts in Mandalay. “They need not only basic supplies, but protection and support that acknowledges their unique needs.”

To make the Myanmar earthquake aid appeal successful, the UN is urging donor countries, international organizations, and private entities to contribute generously and rapidly. The organization is also working with local NGOs and civil society groups to identify priority areas and deliver aid efficiently.

One such partner is the Myanmar Red Cross, which has been distributing emergency supplies and providing medical support in the hardest-hit areas. “We are seeing children without families, elderly people without food or medicine, and entire communities that are cut off,” said a Red Cross volunteer in Shan State. “Without international support, the situation will only get worse.”

With limited sanitation facilities and overcrowded conditions in temporary shelters, health experts warn of possible disease outbreaks in the coming weeks. Already, local clinics are reporting spikes in respiratory infections and cases of diarrhea, particularly among children.

“The combination of trauma, lack of shelter, and contaminated water is a recipe for disaster,” said a field doctor working with Médecins Sans Frontières. “We need medical supplies, clean water, and nutrition immediately. The world must act now.”

Myanmar’s earthquake disaster adds to a long list of challenges the country has faced in recent years, including political instability, armed conflict, and widespread poverty. For millions of people, the quake has exacerbated an already precarious situation.

Human rights groups have also voiced concern that aid may not reach those most in need due to restrictions by Myanmar’s military-led government. They are urging the international community to ensure that all humanitarian assistance is distributed equitably and without political interference.

What happens if the funding doesn’t arrive?

Without the requested $275 million in additional support, aid agencies say they will have to make impossible choices. “Do we feed families or provide them with clean water? Do we send medicine or shelter?” asked a UN official in Yangon. “We are already being forced to ration aid, and the needs are growing daily.”

In past global disasters, delays in funding have led to thousands of preventable deaths. Aid groups fear a repeat of such outcomes unless donor governments step in quickly to support the UN’s Myanmar earthquake aid appeal.

The UN has set up donation platforms where individuals and organizations can contribute to the relief efforts. Every dollar can provide critical assistance—whether it’s emergency food rations, medical supplies, or shelter materials. Humanitarian experts say that time is of the essence: aid must reach the victims before the next crisis—be it disease, rain, or hunger—strikes.

The Myanmar earthquake aid appeal is not just a call for money. It is a call to action for the international community to stand in solidarity with people facing an unimaginable crisis. With more than a million lives hanging in the balance, the UN’s appeal highlights how urgent and necessary global compassion and coordination are in the face of disaster.