Monsoon season escalates crisis for children affected by the Myanmar Earthquake amidst logistical challenges and underfunding
Bangkok 28 April 2025 - Nearly one month on from Myanmar's devastating earthquake, thousands of children and their families who have lost their homes are preparing to face the imminent monsoon rains, which threaten to increase health risks and exacerbate their suffering. Their desperate situation comes as humanitarian agencies appeal for increased aid funding to address the massive shortfalls and provide essential support to those in need.
Unseasonal rain is already causing disruptions in aid delivery and with the arrival of monsoon season – in the coming months – the compounding effects of these challenges will be catastrophic for affected communities, especially women and children, making it even more critical for international donors to step up their contributions.
During monsoon season the deadly combination of flooding and cramped temporary shelters, leading to unsanitary conditions, increases the risks of disease outbreaks, including diarrhoea, dengue and countless others – and puts children’s lives in danger.
"Communities have lost their homes. Their water sources are contaminated the spread of waterborne diseases is imminent. With monsoons on the way, the risk for children and their families further increases. Stagnant water can lead to the prevalence of vector-borne diseases like dengue, while damp and crowded camps put children’s lives in danger of catching lung diseases like pneumonia. Children need to be protected from these risks that the monsoon season can bring," says National Director, Dr. Kyi Minn.
Despite the scale of the disaster, which killed more than 3,600 people, the international funding response has been slow. The international earthquake response appeal for US$275 million remains severely underfunded, with only tens of millions so far committed. World Vision is cautioning that Myanmar’s experience may signal a troubling trend: countries struck by natural disasters may increasingly be left to shoulder recovery alone as foreign governments cut back on international aid funding.
“Currently, the humanitarian need is higher than the resources to fulfil those urgent needs. The gap between needs and available resources is growing,” said Dr Kyi Minn, “and children who urgently need support are paying the price. The funding gap will have direct implications on the lives of children affected by the earthquake."
World Vision Myanmar’s National Director, Dr. Kyi Minn, said infrastructure damage to roads and bridges and unseasonal rain were already making it tough to access hard-to-reach children and families in some areas of hard-hit central Myanmar.
World Vision has been on the ground responding to the needs of those impacted by the earthquake since day one, providing food, water, and hygiene kits, cash assistance as well as proving child protection and psychosocial support for children impacted. The NGO is aiming to reach 500,000 people with critical aid over the next six months. So far, over 160,000 people have been reached through World Vision’s humanitarian efforts, in Myanmar.
“The children of Myanmar are in desperate and urgent need of support. We have no time to waste; the international community must step up its response and support aid agencies like World Vision to deliver lifesaving aid now to ensure the world’s most vulnerable children are not being forgotten,” said Dr Kyi Minn.
ENDS.
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World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organisation dedicated to working with children, families and their communities to reach their full potential by tackling the root causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.
For more information about our Myanmar Earthquake response, please visit https://www.wvi.org/myanmar/myanmar-earthquake-response
Contact Information: Naw Phoebe, Communication and Advocacy Director, naw_phoebe@wvi.org