Millions of children at grave risk following Myanmar's deadliest earthquake in decades
UNICEF calls for urgent response as homes, schools, hospitals and critical infrastructure have sustained severe damage
TORONTO, BANGKOK and Yangon, MYANMAR, March 30, 2025 /CNW/ - Millions of children are at risk following a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on 28 March, compounding an already dire humanitarian situation.
UNICEF is warning of the escalating impact on children and families—with needs rising by the hour and aftershocks continuing—and calling on the international community to respond with urgency to support life-saving efforts for children and families.
"This earthquake is another brutal blow to children in Myanmar—many of whom were already living through conflict, displacement, and deprivation," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. "In minutes, they lost loved ones, homes, and access to essential services. The needs are massive and rising by the hour."
The earthquake and aftershocks caused widespread destruction across central Myanmar, including Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw, Sagaing, Bago, and Shan regions. According to official figures, more than 1,600 people have been killed and over 3,400 injured—many of them children. The death toll is expected to rise as search and rescue operations continue and the full scale of the disaster becomes clear.
Homes, schools, hospitals, and critical infrastructure have sustained severe damage. Landslides and collapsed roads have left many communities without electricity and mobile connectivity.
Many families already surviving in fragile conditions now face even greater hardship, with limited access to safe water, healthcare, and shelter.
Children are among the most affected—facing heightened risks of injury, trauma, separation from their families, and further disruption to what little stability they had. UNICEF teams are on the ground in the hardest-hit areas, working with partners and local responders to assess needs and deliver emergency assistance.
As part of its initial response, UNICEF is mobilizing 80 metric tons of life-saving supplies, including health kits, medical supplies, tents, and hygiene kits such as soap, sanitary pads, and disinfectants, for immediate delivery to children and families in desperate need.
"Children in Myanmar are enduring a crisis on top of a crisis," said Russell. "UNICEF is scaling up our life-saving work, and the international community is responding, but more resources are urgently needed to save and protect the lives of children and their families. At the same time, we need safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access to affected areas so we can assist those in desperate need."
Myanmar is one of the most complex humanitarian emergencies globally. Even before the earthquake, over 6.5 million children were in need of assistance, with one in three displaced people a child. Yet, the humanitarian response remains critically underfunded, with less than 10 per cent of the 2025 Humanitarian Action for Children appeal received to date.
UNICEF is calling for urgent funding to scale up the delivery of life-saving support to children and families affected by the earthquake—including clean water, medical care, protection, psychosocial support, and emergency education.
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About UNICEF
UNICEF is the world's leading humanitarian organization focused on children. We work in the most challenging areas to provide protection, healthcare and immunizations, education, safe water and sanitation and nutrition. As part of the United Nations, our unrivaled reach spans more than 190 countries and territories, ensuring we are on the ground to help the most disadvantaged children. While part of the UN system, UNICEF relies entirely on voluntary donations to finance our life-saving work.
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SOURCE UNICEF Canada
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