DUE to the occurrence of a powerful earthquake on 28 March along with subsequent aftershocks, Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway and Bago regions, northeastern Shan State and Nay Pyi Taw Council Area have been affected. The earthquake caused damage to roads, bridges, and buildings, resulting in casualties and injuries among the people. Search and rescue operations are currently being carried out in the affected areas.
Chairman of the National Disaster Management Committee Vice-Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win yesterday morning inspected loss and damage in the earthquake in Aungban and Nyaungshwe townships, Shan State (South).
The Vice-Senior General inspected the collapse and damage of Hotel Aungban in Aungban and rescue operations with the use of heavy machinery. He gave instructions to a member of the Myanmar Engineering Council U Myo Myint and officials from the rescue teams.
He viewed the damage to the three-storey Sasana Hitakari Monastery in the precinct of Aungchantha Buddhism Learning Centre in Aungban and instructed officials to reconstruct buildings for convenient learning of monks and set the dangerous zone around the dangerous buildings.
The Vice-Senior General gave prompt construction for the buildings and convenience of meals for members of the Sangha to Sayadaw Bhaddanta Paññavamsa of the monastery and donated alms. He also inspected the maintenance of Pitakat Gonyi Monastery and other buildings and attended to the needs of officials. A total of 375 members of the Sangha pursue religious literature at the monastery.
The Vice-Senior General comforted 28 injured civilians at the Tatmadaw hospital in Aungban and presented foodstuffs. He also viewed the drilling of a tube-well by Kanbawza Alin Group for providing safe water to the hospital and people and presented cash assistance to the group.
In Kayla Village of Nyaungshwe Township, the Vice-Senior General viewed round damaged houses and met residents at the monastery. He explained rehabilitation process with removal of damaged houses and buildings, checking dangerous buildings and plans to abolish them if necessary, reconstruction of least damaged buildings, distribution of basic foodstuffs and safe water under the arrangement of Shan State Cooperative Department at Nanpan Jetty in the hotel zone with a mobile water purifier, distribution of international aid, plans to distribute relief supplies and cash assistance provided by the National Disaster Management Committee to the affected people, prompt repair of monasteries and schools, and public participation in collection of data on loss and damage. He also fulfilled the needs of residents. He inspected five buildings of Kayla Village Basic Education High School (Branch) and coordinated with officials to repair the buildings.
The Vice-Senior General presented foodstuffs and cash awards to local Tatmadaw members, MPF members and firefighters in rescue and relief operations at the monastery in Zayatgyi Village.
At the Inlay PhaungdawOo Pagoda, the Vice-Senior General inspected cracks of slabs on the terrace, collapses of religious edifices, and dredging of silt in the lake for good flow of water.
After coordinating with local engineers, the Vice-Senior General instructed officials to repair the buildings to their original state and view the rescue work of Tatmadaw members, MPF members and firefighters.
Engineers and geologists stated that the main building is in good condition but it has some cracks. As such, Shan State DMC members and experts led by the Shan State chief minister will promptly implement the repair of the buildings.
At Nanpan-Inlay People’s Hospital, the Vice-Senior General comforted 18 civilians who sustained injuries in the earthquake and provided cash assistance.
In the meeting with Shan State DMC members at the hall of Eastern Command Headquarters, the Vice-Senior General recounted that the Prime Minister gave guidance to prompt clearing of debris, total demolishing of almost collapsed buildings, conducting soil tests for the construction of high-rise buildings in the rehabilitation process as part of taking lessons from the earthquake-affected buildings. Private buildings should be demolished systematically if they are no longer suitable for continued habitation. Similarly, government office buildings that are no longer fit for use should be fully demolished. Natural disasters such as annual floods, storms, and earthquakes have caused significant delays in the nation’s development efforts led by the government. However, since natural disasters are unavoidable, recovery and reconstruction efforts must be carried out. Therefore, the relevant authorities, departments, and the public are strongly urged to work together in the rebuilding process.
In the Inlay Lake region, houses built on water are constructed using only wooden stilts without a solid foundation on land. Due to the ageing of most structures over time, many houses collapse. When they do, they fall into the surrounding water, causing most fatalities to result from drowning. During rescue operations, injured individuals from damaged structures on land can be assisted. However, since the houses are built on water, many people drown, making rescue efforts particularly challenging. At present, 18 pagodas, three monasteries and nunnery, one bridge, and 157 public buildings were damaged by the earthquake whereas 65 people lost lives and 73 were injured in Shan State.
As a state-level Disaster Management Committee (DMC), various subcommittees have been established, including those for search and rescue, data collection, reconstruction, education, and healthcare. However, in carrying out data collection efforts, it is suggested that, instead of assigning personnel from disaster-affected areas, officials from other unaffected regions should be brought in for greater efficiency. Moreover, the Prime Minister has instructed that land selection be carried out and submitted for the construction of hospitals to support the healthcare needs of the local people in the affected villages of Kalaw and Nanpan. In the meantime, a temporary hospital will be set up at the Kalaw Monastery. Furthermore, a special mobile medical team consisting of specialists from Sao San Tun General Hospital and the Tatmadaw Hospital No 2/700 will be deployed starting on 1 April. It has been reported that due to the recent powerful earthquake, the nationwide death toll has reached nearly 1,700.
Attendees discussed loss and damage in the region, plans, supply of tents, drinking water and electricity, plans of DMC to distribute basic foodstuffs and cash assistance, safe accommodation for travellers at hotels, and security measures. The Vice-Senior General attended to the needs. — MNA/TTA
