Myanmar Ceasefire Declared to Support Earthquake Relief \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Myanmar’s opposition-led National Unity Government declared a partial ceasefire to allow earthquake relief in war-torn regions. The move comes as the death toll from Friday’s massive 7.7 quake nears 1,700, with over 3,400 injured. Aid efforts remain obstructed by civil conflict, damaged infrastructure, and military resistance.
Myanmar Earthquake Ceasefire Efforts Quick Looks:
- National Unity Government pauses military offensives for 2 weeks
- Ceasefire covers earthquake-hit areas controlled by resistance
- Death toll rises to 1,644; over 3,400 injured, 139 missing
- Myanmar military continues airstrikes despite disaster
- Relief efforts hindered by collapsed airports, ongoing war
- Ceasefire echoes global precedents but rare for Myanmar
- International aid begins arriving from China, Russia, India
- Bangkok also affected, with 10 dead in building collapse
Deep Look
In the wake of one of Myanmar’s deadliest earthquakes in recent history, the country’s shadow government, the National Unity Government (NUG), has announced a two-week unilateral ceasefire to enable disaster relief operations. The temporary pause in military offensives, declared by the NUG’s armed wing, the People’s Defense Force (PDF), will begin Sunday and apply to all earthquake-affected regions under its control.
The decision was made late Saturday night in response to the widespread devastation caused by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on Friday, collapsing buildings, rupturing roads, and cutting off communications across major cities like Mandalay and Naypyitaw.
The NUG stated its intention to work closely with the United Nations and non-governmental organizations to establish secure zones, transportation routes, and emergency rescue and medical camps. It called on ethnic resistance groups and the broader public to support and participate in relief operations.
“This disaster transcends politics,” the statement said. “We urge unity in bringing aid to those most in need.”
The announcement places pressure on Myanmar’s ruling military junta, which has been criticized for restricting humanitarian access even before the earthquake. More than 3 million people had already been displaced by the civil war that followed the military’s 2021 coup. Observers now question whether the junta will reciprocate with a ceasefire or continue its operations amid a growing humanitarian catastrophe.
Early signs suggest the military may not follow suit. Independent reports indicate that airstrikes continued in resistance-held areas over the weekend, including in Kayin (Karenni) and Shan states. According to field sources from the Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian group operating in conflict zones, entire villages already ravaged by war saw little change after the quake due to prior destruction from military operations.
In northern Shan, a rebel-held village suffered an airstrike just minutes after the earthquake struck, killing seven fighters and damaging five structures, including a school. These incidents suggest the junta may be unwilling to shift its stance even during a natural disaster.
Still, the ceasefire from the NUG offers a rare opportunity for humanitarian access and may serve as a model for post-conflict collaboration. Global precedents, such as Indonesia’s post-tsunami peace process in Aceh, demonstrate how disasters can sometimes catalyze conflict resolution. However, Myanmar’s history offers few similar examples, as military regimes have often continued repression in the face of catastrophe—most notably after Cyclone Nargis in 2008.
The human cost of the earthquake continues to rise. The military announced late Saturday that the confirmed death toll had surged to 1,644—up from 1,002 just hours earlier. Over 3,400 people are injured, with 139 still missing. Rescue operations remain ongoing in the hardest-hit cities of Mandalay and Naypyitaw, but challenges abound. Several airports have sustained damage, rendering them inaccessible for aid flights and delaying the arrival of emergency supplies and personnel.
The quake’s timing—midday Friday—meant thousands of people were inside homes, schools, and workplaces when it hit. Entire neighborhoods crumbled, particularly those built with unreinforced brick masonry and wood, common in Myanmar’s rural regions. A dam burst, further endangering lowland areas, while key infrastructure like roads and bridges suffered extensive damage.
In Naypyitaw, government buildings collapsed, including those housing civil servants. Electricity and internet remain down across much of the capital. Satellite imagery released by Planet Labs shows the air traffic control tower at Naypyitaw International Airport sheared clean off, with debris scattered across the runway.
The situation is no better in neighboring Thailand, where the quake was felt across multiple provinces. A high-rise under construction near Bangkok’s Chatuchak Market collapsed, killing 10 people and leaving 78 missing. Families of the trapped workers, many of whom are from Myanmar, clung to hope as rescue efforts continued with heavy equipment and search dogs.
Meanwhile, the international community has begun to mobilize. China dispatched over 135 personnel and pledged more than $13 million in aid. Russia sent 120 rescuers and a medical team. India, South Korea, and the United Nations also pledged support. The U.N. released an initial $5 million in relief funding.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would assist Myanmar in its relief response, though critics pointed to past budget cuts to foreign aid programs as potential obstacles to any meaningful support.
Myanmar sits along the Sagaing Fault, one of the most active seismic zones in Asia. The fault runs north to south, dividing the Indian and Sunda tectonic plates. British Geological Survey seismologist Brian Baptie noted that many people in the quake’s impact zone live in vulnerable buildings, making the disaster’s toll especially high.
As the world watches the response unfold, many question whether this devastating earthquake might finally open a narrow window for broader humanitarian collaboration in Myanmar—or whether it will become yet another chapter in the country’s long story of tragedy compounded by political crisis.
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