On 28 March 2025, a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 shook Myanmar and Thailand. The epicentre was near Mandalay, the second largest city in Myanmar. An aftershock of magnitude 6.4 followed a few minutes later. In Myanmar, more than 140 people lost their lives and over 700 were injured. At least 10 people died in Thailand, mainly due to the collapse of a tower block under construction in Bangkok. The authorities fear an increase in the number of victims, as many people are still missing.
I.S.A.R. Germany began monitoring the situation and liaising with partners in the region immediately after the quake, which occurred at around 7.20 a.m. German time. The information and situation centre was set up in the premises of the Duisburg fire brigade, a clear sign of I.S.A.R. Germany's successful existing cooperation with domestic rescue and disaster control units. Our team is continuing to monitor the situation, but it is not yet certain whether a rescue team will be sent to the damaged area.
A parallel Donation campaign on the Betterplace.org platform started. The latest information on developments can be found on I.S.A.R. Germany's social media channels.