A boy stands on the rubble of a collapsed building in Mandalay, Myanmar, where a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck last week.
John, I just got off the phone with my team in Myanmar, and I have an urgent update to share with you. As a dedicated IRC supporter, you need to hear what we're seeing on the ground—and how you can take action right now.
🆘 The situation in Myanmar is as serious as it gets. Entire communities have been destroyed, and every hour that passes puts more lives at risk.
Millions of people are relying on humanitarian aid for survival. That's why I'm asking you to make an even greater impact by starting a monthly gift today. A monthly gift from you is the best and most efficient way to sustain the IRC's life-changing work in Myanmar and over 40 countries worldwide.
Can we count on you to step up in this moment of exceptional need and start a monthly gift today? For a limited time, your first monthly gift will be 5X-MATCHED.
Damage from the earthquake at Inle Lake, Southern Shan State, Myanmar. Photo by IRC staff.
I've been in direct communication with my colleagues and IRC partners on the ground all week. But when I received a voice memo from a team member in Mandalay—the epicenter of the earthquake—I knew I needed to share it with supporters like you:
[▶️•၊၊||၊|။||||။၊|• 0:04 ]
In my life, I have encountered several earthquakes, but I have never experienced one like this.
[▶️•၊၊||၊|။||||။၊|• 0:44 ]
As we have experienced the terror of the earthquake, people are afraid of aftershocks and are sleeping outside on roads or in open fields.
[▶️•၊၊||၊|။||||။၊|• 0:59 ]
We are also running out of water for both drinking and daily use.
[▶️•၊၊||၊|။||||။၊|• 1:16 ]
Apart from emergency cases, people cannot prioritize healthcare as they are struggling to meet their basic survival needs.
The earthquake has exacerbated already severe humanitarian needs, following years of conflict and displacement. The added stress of meeting the needs of those who have been injured in the earthquake is going to cause unparalleled strain on already stretched resources.
The IRC is on the ground mobilizing lifesaving assistance alongside partners who are distributing water, hygiene kits and critical medical assistance.
Aid being loaded into cars en route to support earthquake survivors. Our mobile medical team will offer crucial medical support to earthquake survivors in impacted regions.
Because communication network lines are down and transport is disrupted, it may be weeks before we understand the full extent of destruction caused by this earthquake.
But with a brutal summer approaching, people who are living in open shelters and tents will be impacted by extreme heat. We cannot wait to scale up our response.
As a supporter of the IRC, I know you care deeply about children and families in need. Your monthly support as a Rescue Collective Partner will mean that, no matter where or when a crisis strikes, the IRC can be there in the immediate aftermath, and on the long road ahead to help families recover and rebuild their lives. Please make your monthly gift now.
Thank you for your compassion and generosity. Your support makes an immeasurable difference for families in Myanmar and crisis zones around the world.
I'll be in touch with more updates soon,
Nancy Dent
Acting Director, Global Crisis & Response Communications
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