CNI News

1 April 2025

The State Administration Council (SAC) has declared on March 31 a week-long national mourning period, from March 31 to April 6, in response to the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck the country on March 28 centering in Sagaing near Mandalay, Myanmar.

Because of the earthquake, more than 1,700 people were killed and over 3,400 people were injured and the earthquake damaged so many buildings including houses, religious buildings, hotels and government offices.

Rescue operations are being intensified as people are still trapped under collapsed buildings. Currently, international relief teams including those from India, Russia, Thailand, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong are providing relief and rescue services to the earthquake-affected people in Myanmar.

CNI News

1 April 2025

The SMART Team MAS-01 special rescue team from Malaysia, which was sent to help rescue earthquake victims in Myanmar, arrived in Sagaing on March 31.

Upon arrival at Sagaing, the team established a Base of Operations to facilitate the aid mission. 

The team met and discussed with local disaster relief management officials and local social welfare organizations. 

Malaysian team MAS-01 was the first international rescue team to arrive in earthquake-affected Sagaing after the earthquake.

Currently, China, India, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong have sent rescue teams to help rescue Myanmar people affected by the earthquake.

CNI News

1 April 2025

A Chinese rescue team successfully rescued a woman who had been trapped in the Great Wall Hotel in Mandalay for about 60 hours at 00:40 a.m. on March 31, 2025  after the earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28  the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar announced.

The surviving woman was rescued after more than 5 hours of intensive rescue efforts.

The woman was the first survivor rescued by the Chinese rescue team after it arrived in Mandalay, where the disaster was most severe.

Local Myanmar rescue teams, the Shenzhen Volunteer Rescue Team, and the Russian rescue team joined the rescue effort.

CNI News

1 April 2025

The International Buddhist Education Centre (IBEC) in Sagaing has been opened as the relief center for earthquake victims within Sagaing Township, wrote Ashin Vicitta Shwebo on his social network page.

A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck centering in Sagaing near Mandalay on 28 March 2025.

The earthquake caused casualties and damage to homes, religious buildings, hotels, government housing, and government offices in Sagaing Region, Mandalay Region, and Naypyidaw Council areas.

The earthquake damaged 82.5 percent of Sagaing City and more than 120,000 people in the city became earthquake victims. The earthquake destroyed more than 2,000 monasteries and nunneries, said Ashin Vicitta Shwebo on his social network page.

So, the abbot said that IBEC would be opened as a relief center to carry out emergency relief operations. Currently, earthquake-affected people in Sagaing are facing shortages of medicine, drinking water and food, and are in urgent need of relief and support supplies.

Those interested in participating can contact 09 - 400447473, 09 - 798716259,
09775284633, 09 – 780283453, wrote Ashin Vicitta Shwebo.

CNI News

1 April 2025

Because rescue teams need helmets, gloves, and goggles in penetrating and removing mortar, bricks, and steel rods, leader of the Information Team, Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun requested the international community to provide Myanmar with them on 31 March 2025.

A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit centering in Sagaing near Mandalay  on Friday.

Due to the earthquake, 1,644 people were killed and over 3,400 people were injured and over 390 people were missing; buildings including houses and hotels collapsed and were destroyed; there were people trapped under collapsed buildings, reported the SAC.

"You will see military personnel, Red Cross members, Myanmar firefighters, and Myanmar police officers all providing rescue services. They are removing mortar, bricks, and steel rods. But they haven't worn gloves, helmets and goggles. So, I want to request the international community to provide Myanmar with them." said Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun.

Currently, international organizations, including Vietnam, India, China, Thailand, Russia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong, have arrived in Myanmar to help rescue earthquake-affected people.

CNI News

1 April 2025

Due to the earthquake, some Regions and States are experiencing power outages and the State Administration Council is working to restore power as soon as possible while the PDFs attacked the Tanyanug Power Substation with small arms, reported the SAC.

The PDFs based in Salin Town attacked the security forces in the Tanyaung Power Substation near Salin, using small arms at about 6:00 a.m. on 31 March 2025, reported the SAC.

A very strong earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale struck centering Sagaing City in Myanmar on 28 March 2025. The earthquake caused power outages. Moreover, internet and telephone lines were cut out across Myanmar.

As of March 29th, 1,644 people were killed and over 3,400 people were injured in Sagaing, Mandalay and Naypyidaw.

International aid teams including those from India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong have arrived and are carrying out rescue operations.

CNI News

1 April 2025

Rescue teams sent by the Indian government has begun relief operations in Mandalay where there were a lot of casualties and buildings collapsed due to the earthquake that rocked on 28 March 2025. 

India sent 71 members of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 10 medical teams to Mandalay on 30 March 2025 and they have started carrying out relief operations.

The Indian Embassy said that the NDRF of India has begun carrying out rescue operations for the monks who were trapped in the U Hla Thein Altar Extension Building, Masoe Yain Monastery, Mandalay that collapsed and the people who were trapped in the Sky Villa that collapsed.

About 170 monks were trapped in the extension building and around 90 monks reportedly were dead.

CNI News

1 April 2025

India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has begun rescue operations in the U Hla Thein Temple Extension Building, Masoe Yain Monastery, Mandalay to rescue 170 monks who were trapped in the ruins, released the Indian Embassy. 

Monks were sitting for examination in the extension building while the building collapsed due to the earthquake rocked on 28 March 2025 and the monks were trapped in the ruins.

" We searched with our trained dogs. But those who were alive were not seen in the monastery. We only found dead bodies." said the Indian rescue team.

About 90 monks who were sitting for examination were dead and the NDRF began searching the remaining monks who were trapped on 31 March.

The rescue task has been named 'Brama Operation' by India.

CNI News

31 March 2025

Current problems must be solved together with the military, chairman of the People's Party U Ko Ko Gyi told CNI News. Although the Tatmadaw must be under the civilian administration, because it is involved in various fields, including the administrative and social spheres. 

When solving these problems, they must be solved together with the Tatmadaw, he said.

" The ideal situation is that military is under the control of the civilian administration. But since 1962 when the military staged a coup d'état, the party which was formed by the military had ruled the country until 1988. And then, the military ruled the country until 2011. It was impossible for the military to withdraw from politics. It was involved in the administrative and social fields etc. So, when we solve the problem, we have accepted we have to solved the problem together with the military. But we'll go on trying to become a 100 percent democratic system. But in the current situation, it will be difficult to solve the problem if we lay down a pre-condition before a dialogue. Although we have to solve the problem together with the military, we have to continue to discuss to gradually reduce the military's participation in politics." said U Ko Ko Gyi.

While seeing Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing and leaders of the NLD Party

General Ne Win got the state power from Prime Minister U Nu of the civilian government in 1958. The Myanmar Tatmadaw overthrew the civilian government led by PM U Nu in 1962 and took the state power. In 1988, the Myanmar Tatmadaw took the state power through the student uprising again.

After that, saying that the NLD government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi tried to form a government without solving the vote list dispute in the 2020 general election, the Myanmar Tatmadaw overthrew the NLD government on 1 February 2021 and announced the state of emergency.

In the current politics, the Myanmar Tatmadaw would be involved in politics until the conflicts end, vice chairman of the National Democratic Force Party, U Htet Aung Kyaw told CNI News.

" The Myanmar Tatmadaw will be taking part in politics until the current conflicts end. The reason why Bamar PDFs from the mainland are waging an armed resistance, they don't like that the Myanmar Tatmadaw has maintained the state power. It's not because of other ideologies. If elections were finished, which ideology would the PDFs maintain to go on revolutionizing? What are they going to do next if the Tatmadaw has returned to their place?" he said.

While seeing those who were protesting against the Myanmar Tatmadaw, and security forces

In the political change after 1st February 2021, according to the 2008 constitution, the Myanmar Tatmadaw has maintained the state power, said some political parties and the Myanmar Tatmadaw. However, EAOs, democratic forces and foreign countries have said that Myanmar Tatmadaw has staged a coup d'état.

It was necessary to finish holding elections during January 2026, said the SAC Chairman Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing at the meeting of the SAC on 25 March 2025.

On the other hand, armed groups trying to overthrow the SAC and the Myanmar Tatmadaw have announced that they will surely destroy the election that will be held by the SAC.