MYANMAR – Rescue teams worked their way into the rubble of the Wisdom Villa Private High School near Mandalay on Sunday but were eventually blocked by debris, according to local reports.
The six-storey school collapsed during Friday’s earthquake, leaving only part of its structure standing. The lower floors were crushed into a slanted heap of concrete, and twisted steel rebar jutted out from the shattered top floor, resembling tangled roots.
At least seven people, including two teachers and several students, were reported trapped inside. Seven others lost their lives, while two survivors were pulled out in the hours following the quake.
Dozens of family members and neighbours gathered nearby, sitting in silence and holding onto hope for more positive news.
The school, located in Paleik on the outskirts of Myanmar’s second-largest city, usually accommodates around 200 students aged 12 to 15. Since the term had ended, most students had already left. Everyone in one of the school’s two buildings managed to escape.
However, a group practising a dance for the upcoming Water Festival, Myanmar’s traditional New Year celebration, was on the fifth floor of the second building when the earthquake hit, causing the structure to collapse.
Myanmar frequently faces disasters alongside an ongoing civil war triggered by the military’s 2021 coup. The conflict has devastated the country’s infrastructure, healthcare system, and power grid.
Even before the earthquake, humanitarian organisations, including the United Nations, warned of critical conditions, with millions already in need of urgent assistance. The civil war, which has displaced 3.5 million people, left much of the population struggling with conflict, poverty, and instability.
The World Food Programme (WFP) had previously reported that over 15 million people out of a population of 51 million were unable to meet their basic food needs.
Two days after the quake, the UN highlighted a shortage of medical supplies, hampering rescue and relief efforts. First responders on-site called urgently for more equipment to search through the debris for survivors.
The military junta, led by General Min Aung Hlaing, controls major cities like Mandalay—closest to the quake’s epicentre—but has lost hold of many areas during the conflict.
The military coup also caused many civil servants to join resistance movements, weakening the already struggling administration and making relief efforts even harder to manage.
Hospitals in cities such as Mandalay, Magway, and Naypyidaw are reportedly overwhelmed with injured patients. Meanwhile, existing phone and internet blackouts, worsened by the earthquake, have disrupted communication and made it difficult to direct aid to areas in greatest need.
Mandalay’s internet service has been unreliable, while damaged roads and disrupted air routes have limited transportation. Many homes have been destroyed, leaving families homeless. According to the UN and aid groups, immediate solutions are needed to support those affected.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
