Organisations have been publishing human-interest stories from the ground to highlight the devastating impact of the earthquake on communities and families, and how their efforts have been helping them recover.

Here are some stories recently published.

“We had nothing but each other” (UNICEF)
It follows Zin Mar, her disabled son Min Khant, and her elderly father in Mandalay. A one-off emergency cash transfer of 360 000 kyat (about 85 USD) gives families both flexibility and dignity to decide what they need most. More than 25 000 people have been reached so far, and registration continues in newly accessed villages.

“The quake stopped, but he hasn’t slept since” (UNICEF)
Eight-year-old Mg Pyae escaped a collapsing house but now relives the quake every night. The story explores the invisible wounds many children carry and highlights how UNICEF is rolling out psychosocial first aid, child-friendly spaces, and recreational kits so boys and girls can draw, play, and to help restore moments of joy and normalcy, ultimately for restoring hope.

“Myanmar, under the open sky” (UNOCHA)
This photo-essay gathers voices from Mandalay and Sagaing: Daw Htar Ei (73) who lost everything she owned, including her fruit stall, twelve-year-old Nay Nay who longs to return to school, and vendors like Ma Kaythi surviving in flimsy roadside tents.

The Shelter/NFI & CCCM National Cluster has released its Myanmar Earthquake Response Strategy (May 2025). The plan sets out a two-phase approach to assist 753,000 people. Needs have surged from 1 million to 5.2 million people requiring shelter assistance after the 28 March earthquake, which damaged or destroyed more than 40,000 homes and left many families sleeping in the open.

Phase 1 (now under way) focuses on immediate life-saving relief such as the provision of non-food items (NFI) and emergency shelter over the first three months; Phase 2 starts immediately after Phase 1 and shifts to life-sustaining response such as shelter repairs and dignified transitional solutions before the monsoon. The strategy stresses DRR, gender and protection mainstreaming, and calls for urgent funding and enhanced coordination to scale up the response.

📝 Read the strategy for details.

The Market Analysis Unit (MAU) previously released the report from the Rapid Market Assessment (RMA) conducted in 25 markets soon after the earthquake from April 1-10. This latest iteration is even more comprehensive and covers 59 earthquake/non-earthquake townships throughout 9 states/regions based on data collected  from April 21-29.

Read more in the report.

The Market Analysis Unit is an independent project that provides donors, humanitarian responders, development practitioners and private sector actors in Myanmar with data and analysis to better understand the impacts of market developments, conflict and other crises on household purchasing power, supply chains, financial services, and labour markets.

The World Bank has recently presented the results from Global RApid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE) assessment. 

• Total exposure of buildings (and contents) and infrastructure: USD 248 billion - Majority of assets in Yangon and Shan, Mandalay and Sagaing.
• US $10.97 billion in damages (≈ 14 % of 2024/25 GDP). Residential buildings and their contents account for 45 %, infrastructure 31 %, and non residential assets 24 %.
• GRADE results are similar to the Global Earthquake Model which estimates US$ 6.4 billion (unpublished & not detailed) in damage (for buildings only) vs. US$ 7.61 billion from GRADE (buildings and contents).
• There is significant uncertainty in the results. While GRADE ‘best estimate’ is US$10.97 billion there is an uncertainty range of US$ 6.2 billion to US$ 15.8 billion.
• State / Region level insights. The slides break down damage values and exposure for affected State / Regions including Yangon for economic impact.
• Modelling shows households lacking basic water, sanitation or education suffer up to 43 % higher per capita losses, underscoring the need for inclusive recovery measures.

Download the slides.