A month and a half have passed since a major earthquake hit central Myanmar on March 28. Restoration work in the affected areas has been delayed, and survivors have been forced to live outdoors. AAR Japan (Association for Aid and Relief, Japan) has been distributing emergency relief supplies in cooperation with local partner organizations and is preparing to distribute supplies again later this month based on the needs we have interviewed in the affected area.

“Before the earthquake we lived separately, but now 15 of my relatives are huddled together, living outdoors as evacuees. We want to repair our house before the rainy season starts, but my family’s income has been cut off, and we have no idea what the future holds.” At an “evacuation camp” in Mandalay City where disaster survivors gather, Ms.Saw (pseudonym, 30 years old), who has even lost her footwear and is living barefoot, spoke with an exhausted expression on her face.

Many of the survivors, including Ms.Saw, are living in temporary tents made of sheets and scrap wood, and AAR’s interviews confirmed that about 40% of the survivors are unemployed and 30% are dependent solely on support from UN agencies and NGOs. When asked what kind of assistance they need, in addition to food, drinking water, medicine, mats, etc., they also requested that “hygiene items such as soap and toothbrushes would be very appreciated, as sanitary conditions deteriorate during the rainy season,” and “solar lights would be helpful as countermeasures against power outages.” In addition to the distribution of goods, 80% of the survivors also hope to receive cash assistance, citing such reasons as the needs for cash to rebuild their houses.

Needless to say, there is an urgent need to rebuild and repair their houses, and about 80% of those surveyed said that housing reconstruction is essential to rebuilding the community. Most of the houses in the area are built of brick, but, in addition to construction materials such as bricks and lumber, it costs a large amount of money to set up electricity and water supply. The reality is that it is impossible to procure the necessary materials and equipment in the affected areas, and the road to reconstruction remains uncertain.

While some of the disaster survivors are trying to resume their business or farming activities and rebuild their lives on their own, many others are impoverished after losing their homes and jobs and are still suffering from the trauma of the earthquake and fear of aftershocks. Based on the results of the interviews, AAR will distribute hygiene products, solar lights, and other items starting in late May, and will continue to provide close support to the affected people to achieve full-scale recovery and reconstruction.