Myanmar’s Tragedy Amid Turmoil
The death toll from the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on March 28 has crossed 2000
- The death toll from the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake
that struck central Myanmar on March 28 has crossed 2000, and the casualty is
likely to rise as thousands have been injured and more than 200 are still said
to be missing, as per the ruling junta. The deadly earthquake has also affected
neighbouring Thailand, killing more than a dozen people, while the tremor was
also felt in Bangladesh, India, Laos, and China. It may take weeks to assess
the scale of the destruction in Myanmar because of the magnitude of the
destruction, with thousands of houses being reduced to rubble. What is important
at the moment is to save lives. For this, rescue operations should not be
allowed to be affected by the ongoing civil war which erupted following the
seizure of power by the military after detaining Aung San Suu Kyi and other
democratically elected leaders more than four years ago. While Myanmar’s shadow
National Unity Government has announced a two-week ceasefire to facilitate
earthquake relief efforts by the international community, the military junta
has been accused of carrying out airstrikes and hindering humanitarian aid from
reaching certain regions even as the country faces the worst devastation in
over a century. The military junta has also restricted foreign media from
covering the disaster, citing issues including accommodation. This is unfortunate,
as the media plays a crucial role in pooling funds for humanitarian aid from
the international community. The disaster also calls for humanity and
compassion amid the internal strife.
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- As more than a dozen countries, including India, China, the
US and Russia, have come forward to provide humanitarian aid, including relief
materials, medical teams and rescue personnel, the warring parties in the
embattled country should ensure that relief and rescue efforts are allowed
unrestricted. This is imperative to save lives and ensure that those in need
receive assistance at the earliest. India’s quick response in reaching out to
countries affected by natural calamities is laudable, and the country should
continue to lend a helping hand in times of crisis. Meanwhile, we should
formulate effective risk mitigation measures for earthquakes, including
preparedness, early warning systems and disaster management, as many states
fall in seismic zones IV (severe intensity) and V (very severe intensity). The
entire north-eastern region, including Nagaland, is in seismic zone V. This
calls for the need to strictly comply with the safety guidelines set by the
government -- Nagaland State Building Bye-laws 2012. The state government
should strictly regulate the construction of all structures, be it residential
houses or commercial buildings, as well as ensure that the quality of public
infrastructure like roads and bridges is not compromised.
