UNHCR Airlifts Urgent Relief to Quake-Hit Myanmar as Humanitarian Crisis Grows

The shipment includes tents, essential household items, and other emergency relief materials intended for nearly 16,000 people in desperate need of shelter and basic supplies.

A United Nations relief aircraft loaded with over 40,000 kilograms of critical humanitarian supplies landed in Yangon, Myanmar today, delivering life-saving aid to thousands affected by the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck the country on March 28. Chartered by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and supported by Dubai Humanitarian, the flight departed from Dubai’s International Humanitarian City and touched down at Yangon International Airport at 5:32 p.m. local time (1:02 p.m. Geneva time).

The shipment includes tents, essential household items, and other emergency relief materials intended for nearly 16,000 people in desperate need of shelter and basic supplies. This vital delivery comes amid a rapidly escalating humanitarian emergency that has overwhelmed existing aid infrastructure and left millions struggling for survival.

Earthquake Aftermath: Massive Devastation and Rising Casualties

The powerful quake, one of the most destructive in Myanmar’s history, has already claimed more than 3,000 lives and left over 5,000 people injured. Hundreds remain missing. The UN estimates that approximately 17.2 million people have been directly impacted by the disaster — including 2.1 million individuals who were already displaced due to ongoing conflict and violence in the country.

Entire communities lie in ruins across central Myanmar. Major cities such as Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar’s second and third largest urban centers, have sustained severe damage. UN assessments indicate that at least 41,000 homes have collapsed, while countless others are uninhabitable due to structural instability. Critical infrastructure, including hospitals, water systems, and power grids, has been either severely damaged or destroyed.

The destruction has also taken a heavy toll on economic lifelines, with thousands of businesses shuttered and farmland rendered useless. The quake’s impact has left countless families without income, shelter, or access to food and clean water — pushing them to the brink of survival.

To make matters worse, unseasonal rains and extreme heat have heightened the risk of disease outbreaks, particularly in densely populated displacement sites where sanitary conditions are deteriorating rapidly.

UNHCR Leading the Emergency Response

In response to the growing crisis, the UNHCR has declared a humanitarian emergency and has been on the ground delivering aid since day one. The agency has deployed staff across the hardest-hit areas and distributed most of its in-country stockpile to assist over 50,000 survivors across the Mandalay, Sagaing, and Bago Regions, as well as Nay Pyi Taw and parts of Southern Shan State.

The newly arrived supplies will help replenish dwindling reserves and scale up operations in other urgently affected areas.

“We have been racing against time to help affected populations since day one by deploying staff and humanitarian supplies,” said Noriko Takagi, UNHCR Representative in Myanmar. “This shipment represents a critical step forward in reaching the most vulnerable.”

UNHCR is co-leading several elements of the inter-agency emergency response, including shelter provision, emergency relief distribution, camp coordination, and protection services. Relief teams are working around the clock to set up safe shelters, distribute supplies, and ensure vulnerable groups — including children, the elderly, and people with disabilities — receive targeted assistance.

Funding Appeal to Scale Up Life-Saving Support

In light of the immense and urgent needs, UNHCR has launched an appeal for $16 million to support 1.2 million affected people through the remainder of 2025. This funding is crucial to:

• Replenish emergency stockpiles

• Set up and manage displacement sites

• Provide shelters, sanitation, and clean water

• Distribute non-food items such as blankets, cooking sets, and solar lanterns

• Deliver psychosocial support and legal protection

“These relief items are critical for people who have lost everything,” the agency stated. “This funding will allow us to continue delivering life-saving support to areas where families are facing multiple emergencies — from the aftermath of the earthquake to the ongoing impacts of conflict and displacement.”

The situation in Myanmar remains fluid, and humanitarian needs are expected to rise further in the coming weeks. UNHCR and its partners are calling on the international community to urgently contribute funds and support to prevent further loss of life and alleviate suffering.

For more updates or to contribute to the emergency response, visit UNHCR’s website.

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