Originally published at National Catholic Register
Last Friday, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar, its epicenter 17.2 kilometers (almost 11 miles) from Mandalay — the country’s second-largest city — and 16 kilometers (about 10 miles) northwest of Sagaing, devastating the war-torn nation. As of April 1, the death toll stands at more than 2,700, with 4,500 injured and 441 missing.
In Mandalay, up to 80% of houses have been damaged, part of more than 10,000 structures collapsed or severely impacted across central and northwest Myanmar, including three hospitals destroyed and 22 partially damaged, according to various news reports.
“In towns, many religious buildings were damaged because they are large and old, with some even collapsing,” said Sylvia, a woman from central Myanmar who, like others interviewed for this report, asked that her real name be withheld due to fears of government reprisal. She listed several Catholic churches, Buddhist pagodas and mosques destroyed in and around her community, noting that her area has received no government assistance — and expects none.
“We have always relied on a community-based welfare association,” she explained, adding that these groups are already helping each other. In Christian communities, Sylvia noted, these informal aid networks operate through the churches.
Jonah, a 19-year-old
