On Friday, March 28, 2025, a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar, with tremors felt across the country and as far as Bangkok, Thailand. The quake caused widespread destruction, particularly in Mandalay, where buildings collapsed and critical infrastructure was heavily damaged. An estimated 6.1 million people across Myanmar have been affected.
“All CARE staff in Myanmar are safe, but the earthquake has caused damage in Mandalay and nearby areas,” said Arif Noor, CARE Myanmar Country Director. “This powerful quake struck a country already in crisis, with 19.9 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. The response remains significantly underfunded, and this disaster has only worsened an already fragile situation. CARE and our partners are urgently assessing the damage and preparing to support affected communities.”
“In Bangkok, this is the first time we experienced such a strong impact from an earthquake, and it is deeply concerning; especially for densely populated urban areas,” said Promboon Panitchpakdi, Executive Director of CARE Thailand. “We felt the tremors clearly in Bangkok, buildings shook for several minutes, and all office staff evacuated immediately. The government has declared a state of emergency. Several high-rise buildings are now being inspected for structural risks. Some damage has also been reported to the expressway, and mass communication systems in Bangkok are currently disrupted. We are closely monitoring the situation across the country and are ready to provide support if needed.”
Our thoughts are with everyone impacted.
For media inquiries, email usa.media@care.org or Sarita Suwannarat, CARE, Regional Communications Advisor, Asia, sarita.suwannarat@care.org