Shan State Earthquake Relief Project

As many of you are already aware, a large earthquake (6.8 magnitude) occurred last Thursday evening in eastern Shan State. The quake was strong enough that we could feel it at our library in Chiang Mai. Luckily, there were no deaths and no major damage here in Chiang Mai. However, the number of casualties in Shan State is believed to be more than 200. A number of townships suffered widespread destruction, and hundreds — possibly thousands — of villagers were injured and have lost their homes.

The emergency response from the ‘government’ in Burma has been very slow and characteristically paranoid. Burma’s leaders are more concerned with limiting access to to journalists and relief workers than making sure the people who need help receive it quickly. Similar to the regime’s response after Cyclone Nargis in 2008, the government is requesting that international organizations only donate directly to the central government, but as we have learned in the past, it is unwise to trust the regime to deliver donated aid fully and efficiently.

Here at The Best Friend, we are working quickly to implement an ambitious fundraising campaign to raise money for organizations that have direct access to the affected areas in Shan State, and can help the people inside: the Shan State Earthquake Relief Project […]

Myanmar – Earthquake in Shan State (Situation Report No. 5)

On 24 March 2011, an earthquake of magnitude 6.8 on the Richter Scale and 10 km depth struck the southern parts of Shan State in the East of the Union of Myanmar (population: 3,870,921)— approximately 300 miles southeast of Mandalay […]

Shan State Earthquake Victims in Need of Urgent Relief Effort

On 24 March, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Loimwe, Shan State, causing many deaths and significant destruction to homes and buildings in the area. Affected communities are in great need of humanitarian assistance as they begin to address the damage and rebuild their lives. It is imperative that Burma’s regime and local authorities facilitate the delivery of timely and unimpeded relief in a transparent manner.

As of 27 March, state-run media was reporting the official death toll from the quake as 74. However, eyewitness reports suggested that more than 150 people were killed. Many of the casualties are from Tarlay, where almost every building was damaged and many collapsed. The quake destroyed at least 240 buildings, including houses and monasteries […]