CNI News

29 April 2025

A 7.7-magnitude earthquake and subsequent aftershocks struck Sagaing, near Mandalay, Myanmar, on March 28, affecting 128,965 households and 629,206 people, said Vice Senior General Soe Win, chairman of the National Disaster Management Committee.

He made the remarks at a meeting of the National Disaster Management Committee held on April 25, 2025. 

The powerful earthquake that struck on March 28 caused damage in 10 regions/states, including Nay Pyi Taw Council, and affected 128,965 households and 629,206 people, Vice Senior General Soe Win said.

According to the Disaster Management Center's April 23 report, 48,656 people have been relocated to 135 relief camps, 159,239 people have relocated on their own, and 421,311 people are still living in their homes despite the earthquake.

Similarly, in 10 regions and states including the Nay Pyi Taw Council area, according to the initial list on April 24, 63,854 residential houses, 6,752 schools, 5,474 monasteries and nunneries, 5,342 pagodas, 613 other religious buildings, 576 hospitals/clinics, 56 railways, 271 roads, 198 expressway sections, 586 dams/embankments, 172 bridges, and 353 transformers were damaged or destroyed.

While the National Disaster Management Committee meeting was being held on April 26, 2025

SAC Vice Chairman Vice Senior General Soe Win said that the damage should be divided into short-term, medium-term, and long-term for reconstruction and completed in stages. Internationally, short-term rehabilitation works are usually carried out for 6 to 12 months, medium-term rehabilitation works for 1 to 2 years, long-term rehabilitation works for 2 to 5 years, and if necessary, up to 10 years and if the sectors are divided based on the country's resources, rehabilitation and reconstruction works can be carried out as quickly as possible, he said.

The people are facing difficulties because cement and building materials, which are essential for the reconstruction work, are being sold at higher prices.

Myanmar's nine cement factories were producing 30,700 tonnes (614,000 bags) per day before the earthquake, but since the earthquake, six factories have been producing only 17,100 tonnes (342,000 bags) and production will be increased to 22,100 tonnes (442,000 bags) of cement by May 15 said the Union Minister for Industry said at the meeting.

In addition, The SAC will work to increase production to 32100 tons (642,000 bags) of cement in September and the price has been set for the relevant factories to sell cement to earthquake-affected areas at 17,000 kyats per bag, he said.

Then, the SAC Chairman provided 50 billion kyats for the reconstruction of the earthquake-hit Sagaing Region, 60 billion kyats for Mandalay Region, 10 billion kyats for the Naypyidaw Council Area, and 5 billion kyats for Shan State.

Currently, there have been 155 aftershocks in Myanmar since March 28th to April 23rd. Most of the aftershocks were minor earthquakes with an average magnitude of 4 or below, and only one earthquake with a magnitude of 5 or above occurred. There have been no aftershocks since April 23.