IsraAID deploys emergency team in wake of Myanmar and Thailand Earthquake

IsraAID, Israel’s leading nongovernmental humanitarian aid organization, deployed an emergency team on Sunday following Friday’s devastating earthquakes in Myanmar and Thailand. As of Sunday, over 1,700 people have been killed and over 3,500 more have been injured. IsraAID’s emergency team will assess urgent needs in the coming days, focusing initially on access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene.

A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock. The epicenters lay in central Myanmar with significant impacts in Mandalay, Sagaing and Nay Pyi Taw. The impact was felt throughout the region. In Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, one building collapsed and others cracked more than 1,000 km away from the epicenters. Mandalay is Myanmar’s second largest city, and Sagaing region is home to some 1.6 million internally displaced persons amid the country’s ongoing civil conflict. As of Sunday, over 1,700 people have been reported dead in Myanmar, and 17 in Thailand, though search and rescue operations are ongoing, and the full extent of the damage is not yet clear. Over 3,500 people have been reported injured, and hundreds more are missing.

IsraAID’s emergency response team will arrive in the region in the coming days to continue their rapid needs assessment and plan the organization’s urgent relief efforts. The team includes experts in emergency response and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene. The organization’s response may expand to include psychosocial support and public health, based on local needs.

This is IsraAID’s third emergency response in Myanmar, following Cyclone Nargis in 2008 and major floods in 2015. The organization also has extensive global experience in earthquake response. In recent years, IsraAID has responded to earthquakes in Morocco, Türkiye, Haiti, Indonesia, Nepal, Italy, Japan, and more. IsraAID will use this experience to plan an immediate response, working together with affected communities and local actors in Myanmar to bring relief and support recovery. The organization’s global team of around 400 people across 10+ countries is focused on working together with crisis-affected communities for as long as we are needed.

IsraAID’s Senior Director of Emergency Programming and Operations Michal Bar said:

“We are devastated for all those who have lost loved ones and homes in this emergency and our hearts are with everyone affected in Myanmar, Thailand, and across the region. IsraAID is bringing our expertise and knowledge to support the most vulnerable communities as they recover from this disaster. We will work together with affected communities and local actors to bring urgent humanitarian assistance now, even while search and rescue efforts continue. Our teams are committed to standing by affected communities for as long as they need us.”

-ENDS-

Further information is available on request, including interviews with IsraAID CEO Yotam Polizer and other individuals involved in this operation.

CONTACT:

Shachar May
Email: [email protected]
Phone/Whatsapp: +972586664969

Notes:

IsraAID is a leading international humanitarian non-governmental organization, based in Israel. Since 2001, IsraAID has become synonymous with a rapid response to humanitarian crises and a long-term commitment to working with affected communities. During and after emergencies, IsraAID partners with communities to re-build their lives – and their futures – together. As of March 2025, IsraAID has responded to more than 100 emergencies, in more than 65 countries.