MYANMAR: Children face additional risk of heat related illnesses after deadly earthquake
Children living in the open in Myanmar after being forced from their homes by the deadly earthquake are at additional risk of heat related illnesses as temperatures in parts of the country climb to 40°C (104 F), Save the Children said.
Many children and their families are living in open spaces after their homes were destroyed in the 7.7 magnitude earthquake on 28 March and due to a shortage of shelters, according to the UN. In Shan state, more than 13,000 people have been displaced, and in Central and Northwestern Myanmar, at least 10,000 buildings have collapsed or been severely damaged [1]. At least 2,700 people have died and thousands more injured.
April is the hottest month of the year in Myanmar, with temperatures rising ahead of the start of rains in May. In 2024, a record-breaking temperature of 48.2° C in Myanmar was recorded in April in the central region of the country.
The high temperatures are adding to an already dire situation for children in earthquake affected areas. Children are especially vulnerable to the impacts of heat which can cause severe dehydration, exhaustion and heatstroke. The more that children are exposed to extreme heat, the greater they are at risk of respiratory disease, kidney disease and other health hazards [2].
Basic services have been crippled with electricity cut off in some areas and in short supply in others. In Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, electricity has been restricted to four hours a day.
Kyaing Thin*, 41, lives in the Mandalay region, close to the epicentre of the earthquake. She is the mother of two boys, aged 13 and 15. Her home was badly damaged, but she managed to escape with her family to a field.
Kyaing Thin* told Save the Children:
"We have to sleep outside of our house, using only a mosquito net. My sons were so traumatised by the earthquake that they couldn’t sleep the whole night. They are both sensitive to loud noises, and now, every time they hear one, they panic.
"Many people lost their homes. They are forced to live on the streets, in open fields, or by the Mandalay Moat. In rural areas, people can move to open fields and build temporary shelters but in a city like Mandalay, most people live in apartments or flats, many of which are now unsafe. This will be the biggest long-term crisis: where will people live?"
Her son, Zarni*, 13, said:
"I had no idea what was happening (when the earthquake struck). My brother shouted at me to run. My bed was beside the window so I jumped out. I got hurt a little, but I ran toward the road and lay on the ground. Now, my chest hurts. I wish I had the power of time travel. Then I could go back and fix whatever caused the earthquake."
Children in Myanmar were already facing a severe humanitarian crisis before the devastating earthquake. Conflict and climate fueled disasters have left 6.3 million children among the 19.9 million people - or more than one third of the population - needing humanitarian support [3]. Save the Children and its partners are providing food, water and emergency medical care to affected children and their families and working to provide personal hygiene kits and child friendly recreational materials.
Jeremy Stoner, Acting Asia Regional Director, Save the Children said:
"Many children in the earthquake affected areas have little to no protection from the scorching heat. The heat is burning during the day, and temperatures barely drop at night. With no or little electricity for fans and limited access to clean water, extreme heat can be lethal for young children.
"We’re now in a race against time to avoid the secondary impacts of earthquakes, such as disease outbreaks and rising hunger. The humanitarian response in Myanmar has been underfunded for years. Three months into 2025, the humanitarian appeal is only 5% funded and that situation will only be made worse due to funding cuts.
"With global humanitarian funding under strain, flexible funding from donors is more critical than ever - not only to deliver immediate, life-saving assistance in the aftermath of the earthquake but also to support communities rebuild their lives and futures."
Save the Children has been working in Myanmar since 1995, providing life-saving healthcare, food and nutrition, education and child protection programmes.
To donate to Save the Children's Myanmar earthquake appeal go to: Myanmar-Thailand Earthquake Emergency - Save the Children NZ.