The severe earthquake in Myanmar has left millions of children in grave danger and worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis.
The situation
On Friday, March 28, 2025, Southeast Asia was hit by a 7.7-magnitude earthquake, followed by continued aftershocks. The earthquake’s epicenter lay just a few kilometers from the city of Mandalay in Myanmar; shocks were also felt in neighboring Thailand and China.
The full extent of the disaster is still unfolding. However, officials are reporting thousands dead or injured – many of them children. The earthquake caused widespread destruction in Myanmar, particularly in the Sagaing region and the Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay metropolitan areas. Homes, schools, hospitals and essential infrastructure have sustained severe damage, and some areas of the country have lost power and mobile connectivity. Thailand has also reported deaths and damage.
In Myanmar, the natural disaster is hitting children and families who are already affected by crisis. Around 6.3 million children – a third of the country’s children – have been plagued by violence, displacement, natural disasters, epidemics and food shortages, and are in need of humanitarian aid. The effects of the earthquake have put them at even greater risk.
How your donation helps
Together with its partners and local resources, UNICEF teams are working in Myanmar’s hardest-hit areas to determine need and provide emergency relief. UNICEF is mobilizing 80 tons of lifesaving emergency supplies, including emergency health kits, medical supplies, tents and hygiene kits with soap, sanitary pads and disinfectants for immediate distribution to children and families in need.
For more than seven decades UNICEF has been helping children in Myanmar through nutrition, education, health, clean water and child protection programs. Last year, UNICEF provided around 520,000 children with access to educational programs and more than 709,000 people with safe drinking water.
