A-PAD Intensifies Emergency Rescue Efforts Amid Growing Crisis in Myanmar
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Sagaing Region, central Myanmar on March 28 at 06:20 UTC (12:50 local time) at a depth of 10 km. The epicenter was located 16 km north-northwest of Sagaing city and 19 km northwest of Mandalay city. A 6.4-magnitude aftershock followed just 12 minutes later, with aftershocks continuing to be felt across the country.
The earthquake caused widespread destruction, with thousands of buildings reduced to rubble in Myanmar. Significant structural damage has also been reported in Thailand. In China’s Yunnan Province, hundreds of homes were damaged, while in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, more than 300 apartments were affected.
The disaster has claimed over 2,700 lives, with the death toll expected to exceed 3000, according to Myanmar’s military ruler, Min Aung Hlaing. This tragedy further worsens an already dire humanitarian crisis, as Myanmar was struggling with political instability, armed conflict, and recurring disasters even before the earthquake. Approximately 20 million people — one-third of the country’s population — were already in need of humanitarian assistance.
A-PAD International’s Emergency Response and Global Collaboration Efforts
A-PAD International began assessing the situation immediately after the earthquake initiating emergency relief efforts. In collaboration with its Turkish search and rescue partner GEA, teams were deployed to Myanmar via Thailand on March 29. A-PAD worked closely with the Connecting Business Initiative (CBi) to facilitate GEA’s entry into Myanmar to offer critical support to ongoing lifesaving efforts.
On the fifth day following the earthquake a 26-year-old hotel staff member was successfully rescued from the rubble of the Aye Chan Thar Hotel in Naypyidaw. As GEA rescuers worked to extract him, they reassured him by calling out, “He is very strong. He has been there for a long time. We see you, okay? We are very close now.” The survivor was safely evacuated and is reported to be in good health.
The GEA Search and Rescue Team, accredited by UN INSARAG and AFAD, has been conducting global disaster response operations since 1994. A-PAD International and GEA established a disaster cooperation agreement in 2016 and have since worked together on multiple projects, including their joint response to the Türkiye Earthquake in 2023.
Additionally, Peace Winds Japan (PWJ), A-PAD’s sister organization, has been deployed and is currently stationed in Bangkok, Thailand. PWJ specializes in emergency medical response and humanitarian aid, supporting people affected by conflict, poverty, and natural disasters worldwide.
As the scale of devastation grows, immediate support is essential to sustaining life-saving operations. A-PAD International continues to lead rescue and relief efforts, delivering critical aid to those in need.
Watch the moment the search and rescue teams makes first visual contact with the survivor:
