Devastating quake hits Myanmar, Thailand

Myanmar’s second largest city, Mandalay, experienced a 7.7 Richter scale quake on Friday afternoon, and the ripples were felt in many parts of neighbouring Thailand, especially in the capital city of Bangkok, and beyond in Vietnam and China.

The US Geological Services seismic monitor estimates that there could be 10,000 dead. The count of the dead by Sunday, two days after the quake, has crossed 1,000, and thousands more are injured.

The military government of Myanmar has sought help from other countries, and it is letting in aid agencies from all over. The damage in Myanmar has been extensive, with roads, buildings in a broken state.. Most countries in the neighbourhood are rushing help to Myanmar.

It will take days and months before the debris caused by the quake is cleared, and the exact number of those killed by it become clear. According to an initial assessment by the opposition National Unity Government, 2,900 buildings, 30 roads and bridges have been damaged. The international airports at Myanmar’s capital, Naypyidaw, and in Mandalay, had to be closed because of the damage caused by the quake. Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke to Myanmar’s military government head, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, over phone, and the Chinese embassy in Myanmar said that $31.7 million aid has been promised.

India has dispatched a military planeload of relief material, and 40 ships carrying relief will be reaching Myanmar. The United States, which has sanctions against the Myanmar military government, including Min Aung Hlaing, has promised to send help.

The experts say that Myanmar is in the quake-prone seismic zone. The quakes occur when the plates beneath land mass and oceans move and clash with each other, creating a state of deep instability geologically and geographically. The landmass which comprises south-eastern, south Asia, including the huge mass of peninsular India is known to push northward against the Asian landmass, which creates a long line of fault-lines stretching from the Hindukush mountains in Afghanistan, Pakistan and northern India and into Myanmar and Thailand.

Given the politically closed situation in the country, and its undeveloped economic conditions, there are of course no signs of any quake-resistant structures or even arrangements for thousands of people thrown out of their homes, and rendered shelter-less. And it will be days before those buried under the rubble of collapsed buildings will be finally rescued.

The bare infrastructure in the country will make it difficult for humanitarian aid to reach people who need it the most. In Bangkok, the damage has been limited with a skyscraper under construction collapsing, and the number of dead is restricted to 10. But the damage in other parts of Thailand remains to be assessed. The Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Myanmar is a member, has announced that it stands by Myanmar in its moment of crisis.

The natural disaster could possibly affect the political situation, and there could be greater coordination between the military government and other political groups in the country which are opposed to the government. This could help close the political divisions.

Among all the members of the ASEAN, Myanmar is the most politically troubled country. The devastating quake can only make things worse for the country and the people. What the ordinary person in the quake-hit Mandalay needs is maximum relief, and the government needs help from wherever it can get to help the people. The international relief agencies will be to do their best if the government is open about relief package. China, India and the United States would be able to help Myanmar to tide over the crisis if the government trusts outside help.