Aid agencies warn combination of rains, extreme heat could cause outbreaks of disease, including cholera

BANGKOK: Rains over the weekend in earthquake-stricken Myanmar are complicating relief efforts, with aid agencies warning of potential disease outbreaks, including cholera, among survivors camping in the open. The death toll from the March 28 quake has risen to 3,471, with 4,671 injured and 214 still missing.

UN aid chief Tom Fletcher highlighted the need for more tents to shelter those left homeless and stressed the importance of coordinated action to save lives. Neighboring countries like China, India, and Southeast Asia have sent supplies and rescuers.

Despite pledging $9 million in aid, the U.S. has been criticized for its reduced foreign aid response, with the termination of three USAID workers after the quake.

In Thailand, the death toll from the quake has reached 24, with 77 still missing. Myanmar’s military, struggling since the 2021 coup, has been accused of restricting aid in rebel-held areas and continuing airstrikes, even after a ceasefire was declared. The civil war has displaced over 3 million people, leaving more than a third of the population in need of humanitarian assistance.