EARTHQUAKES are among the deadliest natural hazards, often striking without warning and causing devastating loss of life and long-lasting social, economic, and psychological harm. The historical records stated that recent earthquakes in countries such as Myanmar and Afghanistan are stark reminders of how these events can destroy infrastructure, displace entire communities, and affect generations long after the ground stops shaking.
The United Nations stated that earthquakes also have substantial economic consequences, accounting for more than a quarter of global disaster losses and causing trillions of dollars in damage over recent decades. Beyond direct destruction, they can trigger fires, tsunamis, and landslides, compounding damage across housing, health, education, and livelihoods.
Earthquake risk is driven by factors such as rapid urbanization in seismic areas, weak or ageing infrastructure, poverty, inequality, and poor enforcement of building codes, making risk-informed development and resilient infrastructure essential. In acknowledgement of the grave consequences of these disasters, the United Nations has established the International Day in Memory of the Victims of Earthquakes, observed annually on 29 April.
The powerful Mandalay earthquake, which struck on 28 March 2025 with a magnitude of 7.7 on the Richter scale, has resulted in 3,739 deaths, 5,104 injuries, and 67 people reported missing. In addition, more than 63,000 residential buildings, as well as numerous schools, religious structures including pagodas and stupas, and roads and bridges, were damaged or destroyed.
A total of 2,688 personnel from search-and-rescue and medical teams were deployed by 25 countries. Moreover, humanitarian relief supplies and medicines amounting to a total of 2,472 tonnes were delivered by 19 countries. Myanmar will not forget the devastating Mandalay earthquake of 2025 and will always remember the support and assistance provided by countries during the emergency.
Earthquakes are natural disasters that cannot be predicted in advance, and compared to other natural hazards, they often result in severe loss of life and destruction of homes and property. Families are torn apart, with loved ones separated in death and survival. Property is lost, and towns and villages are devastated. Throughout both world history and Myanmar’s history, powerful earthquakes have left tragic records due to their destructive force.
The theme for the commemorative day 2026 focuses on “Remember. Protect. Build Disaster Resilience”. As such, all global people have to memorize the deadliest earthquakes which destroyed the lives and property of the people forever and seek the best solution to ease the destructive power of earthquakes, with the action of how to predict the possibilities of earthquakes for the sake of living beings of the world.
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