Another quake hits Myanmar as deadly March tremor’s aftershocks threaten fragile recovery

What triggered the April 13 Myanmar earthquake and where did it strike?

Myanmar’s central region was struck by a 5.5 magnitude earthquake on April 13, 2025, in what officials say is one of the most significant aftershocks following the catastrophic 7.7 magnitude temblor that devastated the area on March 28. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenter of the latest quake was located near Meiktila, a city situated strategically between Mandalay and Naypyitaw, Myanmar’s second-largest city and its administrative capital, respectively. The quake was reported at a shallow depth—estimated at 7.7 kilometres by the USGS—making the impact more intensely felt at the surface.

The Myanmar Meteorological Department reported the quake’s epicentre in Wundwin township, located approximately 97 kilometres south of Mandalay. While the region is still reeling from the humanitarian catastrophe unleashed just two weeks ago, this tremor added to fears among residents and rescue workers that further seismic instability could hamper recovery.

How did communities react to the April 13 aftershock?

Residents in Wundwin described the quake as forceful enough to cause panic, prompting people to flee homes and buildings. Though there were no immediate official reports of large-scale damage or injuries, several dwellings reportedly suffered cracked ceilings. Eyewitnesses, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the political climate, confirmed that the tremor was among the strongest since the end of March and left communities unnerved. In Naypyitaw, some residents said they did not feel the tremor, highlighting the localized intensity of the seismic event.

This aftershock occurred on the first day of the three-day Thingyan festival, Myanmar’s traditional New Year celebration. Public festivities had already been cancelled due to the national tragedy and ongoing civil unrest. The renewed shaking dampened the mood further and raised concerns that the region may not be seismically stable yet, despite two weeks of high-magnitude activity beginning to subside.

What is the impact of continued aftershocks on humanitarian relief efforts?

The April 13 earthquake is part of a broader pattern of seismic aftershocks—numbering in the hundreds—since the deadly March 28 event. That earthquake, the strongest to strike Myanmar in decades, caused widespread destruction across Mandalay, Naypyitaw, and surrounding areas. According to the Myanmar military government’s latest update, the March disaster left 3,649 people dead and over 5,000 injured.

Relief efforts remain strained. The United Nations has warned that continued seismic activity is worsening Myanmar’s already dire humanitarian crisis, which has been deepened by years of civil conflict since the military coup in 2021. Over 3 million people were already internally displaced prior to the March earthquake, and now infrastructure damage—particularly to agriculture and healthcare—has made the situation untenable in many parts of central Myanmar.

The UN has said food production has been severely disrupted in the earthquake-affected zones. Fertile agricultural land was fractured, and irrigation systems and granaries were destroyed. Adding to the strain is a looming health emergency: many medical facilities, particularly rural clinics, were damaged or completely destroyed in the initial quake. Relief officials are warning of the spread of communicable diseases, including diarrhea and respiratory infections, especially as clean water supplies run low and summer heat peaks.

How is Myanmar’s military government managing information and relief access?

Access to timely and transparent information has become another casualty of the quake. Myanmar’s military government, which has maintained tight control over media and communications since the 2021 coup, is accused of restricting information related to the earthquakes. Residents who spoke to reporters declined to be named out of fear of government reprisal. Aid organizations say that military authorities are actively interfering in relief operations by delaying approvals and blocking certain deliveries, particularly in conflict-affected regions.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has criticized the military junta’s refusal to allow full and safe access to all affected areas. Despite a temporary ceasefire declared on April 2 to facilitate aid efforts, reports indicate that more than 120 attacks have occurred in quake-struck areas, many of them after the ceasefire announcement. This has further delayed the entry of humanitarian convoys and obstructed urgent medical response initiatives.

What role has connectivity played in delaying relief?

Internet shutdowns imposed by the Myanmar military have exacerbated the challenges of coordinating a large-scale relief operation. Aid groups and displaced families alike are finding it increasingly difficult to communicate with one another, hindering real-time situation updates and slowing the mobilization of medical supplies, food, and water. The military’s control over telecommunications is part of a broader attempt to limit dissent and maintain authority, but the collateral damage to humanitarian logistics has been severe.

With cell towers down and fiber infrastructure damaged, only a few groups with access to satellite-based services are able to relay accurate information. Aid workers say this has forced a greater reliance on satellite imaging and artificial intelligence tools to assess structural damage and identify areas of need—technologies that are not always effective in Myanmar’s mountainous and densely forested regions.

What are the broader geopolitical and historical implications?

Myanmar lies in a seismically active zone where the Indian Plate collides with the Burma microplate. Historical earthquakes of significant magnitudes have struck the region, including a deadly 6.8 magnitude quake near Bagan in 2016. However, the March 28 quake was unprecedented in terms of both intensity and destruction, making it one of the worst natural disasters in the country’s modern history.

The combination of civil war, military suppression, and now recurring seismic events has drawn renewed international attention to Myanmar. While neighboring countries such as India, China, and Thailand have pledged aid, on-ground delivery remains hampered by politics and military obstruction. Multilateral bodies such as the United Nations are now calling for stronger international action to compel the military to allow unfettered humanitarian access and ensure that relief reaches those in need, regardless of political alignment.

Can the affected regions recover, and what’s needed now?

Recovery will be long and complex. Experts warn that unless there is a significant policy shift from Myanmar’s ruling authorities, aid may remain sporadic and insufficient. The restoration of health infrastructure, food distribution systems, and housing will require both international funding and internal cooperation—both of which are lacking under the current political conditions.

Resilience, however, is deeply ingrained in Myanmar’s communities. Despite the obstacles, local volunteer groups, often organized through religious institutions and civil society networks, have been instrumental in distributing aid where government support has failed. But without open channels for international NGOs, these efforts cannot scale to meet the enormity of the crisis.

The April 13 aftershock is a stark reminder that the risk of further seismic events remains present. As Myanmar braces for possible future tremors, there is an urgent need to stabilise housing structures, secure emergency medical supply chains, and establish contingency plans for remote communities.

While the earth may eventually settle, the humanitarian and structural damage it has inflicted will continue to reverberate unless immediate, coordinated, and unrestricted aid is delivered.