Myanmar-
Myanmar declared a week of national mourning following a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck on Friday, March 28, 2025, with its epicenter near Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city.
The mourning period, announced by the ruling military junta on Monday, March 31, 2025, spans from March 31 to April 6, 2025. During this time, national flags are to be flown at half-mast as a gesture of sympathy for the lives lost and the widespread destruction caused by the disaster.
The earthquake has claimed over 2,000 lives, with the junta reporting a death toll of 2,056 as of March 31, alongside more than 3,900 injuries and 270 people still missing. The true scale of the catastrophe may take weeks to fully assess due to damaged infrastructure, disrupted communication lines, and the ongoing civil war, which complicates rescue and relief efforts.
Mandalay, a city of over 1.7 million people, was among the hardest hit, with collapsed buildings, monasteries, and mosques adding to the tragedy.
The week of mourning reflects the immense challenges facing Myanmar, a country already grappling with a humanitarian crisis stemming from a 2021 military coup and subsequent civil war. Despite a rare plea for international assistance from junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the disaster response is hindered by wrecked roads, bridges, and airports, as well as the junta’s tight control over information and restricted access for foreign journalists. International aid has begun arriving from countries like China, India, and Singapore, but the combination of natural disaster and ongoing conflict has left many residents camping in the streets, fearful of aftershocks and unable to return to damaged homes.
As rescue efforts slow and hopes of finding more survivors fade, the mourning period shows both the immediate loss and the broader, compounding crises facing Myanmar’s population of over 50 million.
