Seven days after one of the strongest earthquakes in a century struck Myanmar, the death toll continues to rise. CARE's team in Myanmar is delivering emergency supplies to survivors and listening to affected communities to understand their most urgent needs.
As our team reaches some of the hardest-hit areas in Mandalay and Sagaing, they have witnessed destruction unlike anything they've seen in their entire lives - and with it, heartbreaking stories from survivors. Among them are the voices of mothers - a single mother, a first-time mother, and a mother who survived with her children.
Thiri Hlaing's story
Our team met Thiri Hlaing, a mother of four in Mandalay. Her children are 4, 5, 7, and 11 years old. She was working at a food stall when the earthquake struck and rushed home immediately.
"The children were huddling with their grandmother in the house. I had to run on the street when everything collapsed. There was no one to take care of them, so they had to run too.”
She recalled the terrifying moment “On the day it happened, I was almost out of my mind.”
As a single mother of four, Thiri Hlaing’s biggest worry was how to feed her children. She shared with us the challenge that weighs heaviest on her “If I have to say what's in my heart, I think it's money. If I have money, I can take care of them. If I don't have money, I can't even buy them food if there's someone selling it. I can only watch others eat.”
Aye Aye Thin's story
“I was feeding the baby. it was about an hour or so into feeding her, inside the house,” said Aye Aye Thin - a new mother, recalling the day the earthquake hit. “She’s only breastfeeding. Now, for food, the babies have to eat what they’re given."
She described the moments after the quake, “During the first tremors, I was still in the house. But before the second wave, I managed to get outside. As for belongings, I only managed to retrieve them a day later. The first day, I couldn’t go back in. The next day, I got my children’s things and some clothes — as much as I could grab. Some items were stuck in the room. Our house didn’t collapse, but others did. Some were even on fire, so it wasn’t safe.”
She added, “There are quite a lot of children. Diapers are also hard to buy now.”
Tin Tin Mya's story
It was supposed to be just another ordinary day. Her husband and daughter were at home; her son had gone to visit a nearby village. Then the earthquake hit - no cracks, just total collapse. Fortunately, Tin Tin Mya, her husband, and daughter survived.
“How can I describe it? My mind was spinning. To have one child with me and not the other. I found him about five minutes after the earthquake stopped, when things calmed down a bit. I saw him trapped under the rubble, and I couldn’t leave his side. My husband was clearing debris from his head, and we had to pull him out from underneath.”
After the quake, they sat in an open field under the scorching sun, sharing blankets as seats, “The aftershocks didn’t stop until evening. We had to stay in the hot sun all day. No one donated food that day. We just managed with what we had.”
Now, they’re receiving donations, but “They’re bringing supplies for now. We don’t really need baby formula or snacks. We have those. But we need money for expenses. That’s what we really need.”
Myanmar Earthquakes: How you can help
Myanmar was already in crisis before the earthquake struck, with 19.9 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. This disaster has only worsened an already fragile situation.
CARE is in Myanmar right now, working directly in affected areas to provide life-saving support to survivors. Your donation will help provide shelter, clean water, food and medical care to those who urgently need it. Please donate if you can.
