‘We’ve had no help’ Communities left without supplies and power

Almost everywhere in Sagaing, buildings have collapsed. Even the provincial fire department building has been destroyed, damaging all the rescue machinery and vehicles stored inside it. There are not enough rescue teams to retrieve the dead bodies, nor is there enough equipment to sift through debris.

- Rebecca Ratcliffe Bangkok Esther J

“It’s been two days, and the smell is starting to emanate,” said Ma Ei, who has helped in the humanitarian efforts. “We haven’t received any help because of the internet and phone connection outages,” she said. “At the moment, only the residents are involved in the rescue work, and we urgently need more rescue workers.” They also need dry food, drinking water and medicines, she added.

Sagaing hospital has also been damaged, forcing patients outside in the searing heat. Until yesterday there were no tents to protect them from the sun, said Ma Ei.

She saw about 200 patients who arrived at the hospital in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. “There may be more patients than this,” she added. Most have broken limbs and head injuries. “Some patients with pre-existing chronic diseases are suffering even more,” she said.

Ko Doe, a member of a local rescue team in Sagaing, said rescue machinery had been damaged in the quake, but that his team began the rescue work “as soon as we received some machinery from the government and did not stop until yesterday morning”. Even with the extra supplies, however, they only have four cranes for the whole township.