WFP Delivers Aid to Hardest-Hit Areas in Earthquake-Stricken Myanmar

MANDALAY, Myanmar – Within 48 hours of the powerful earthquake that struck central Myanmar on Friday afternoon, the World Food Programme (WFP) began emergency food distributions to affected communities. WFP has so far reached over 24,000 earthquake survivors in four areas – Mandalay, Naypyitaw, Sagaing and Shan – and is scaling up efforts to assist 850,000 affected people.

Here are the latest updates on WFP’s emergency quake operations in Myanmar.

WFP Food Distributions

• WFP has ongoing food assistance operations in the hardest-hit areas of Mandalay, Naypyitaw, Sagaing and Shan. 
• Sagaing: WFP has reached nearly 4,000 people with food rations in conflict-hit Sagaing, already home to a third of Myanmar’s internally displaced population before the earthquake. 
• Mandalay City: At the epicenter in Mandalay, WFP has distributed fortified biscuits to more than 15,000 people since April 1. WFP also reached 480 households – about 2,400 people – in Sein Pan, one of the poorest and worst-impacted ward in Mandalay where almost every resident lost their home due to the earthquake and a subsequent fire.
• Southern Shan: WFP and partners have so far reached 4,000 people with assistance. 
• Nay Pyi Taw: Since food distributions started on March 30, a total of 1,000 people have received fortified biscuits from WFP.
• WFP has dispatched more than 220,000 pounds of food from Yangon to Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw and Sagaing. 
• WFP has over 440,000 pounds of fortified biscuits available for immediate distribution, with an additional 15 million pounds of food stocks in-country to assist those hardest hit.
• WFP aims to reach 100,000 people with ready-to-eat food in the first phase of response, followed by food assistance for 850,000 people for one month.

Assessments, logistics and coordination: 

• WFP has established a central response hub in Nay Pyi Taw to coordinate the earthquake response and has rapidly deployed teams to Mandalay.
• WFP is collaborating with partners on rapid needs assessments in Mandalay, Sagaing, Shan and Nay Pyi Taw, while also evaluating market access and functionality.
• An interagency Rapid Needs Assessment is ongoing, with results expected soon.  

 Response challenges:

• Access to earthquake hit areas and unreliable telecommunications continue to pose challenges for WFP and partners to mount a full-scale response to the massive needs. 
• WFP urgently needs $40 million to support 850,000 people affected by the earthquake.
• Myanmar is already facing severe food insecurity, with 15.2 million people – 1 in 4 – food insecure.
• Despite escalating humanitarian needs, WFP’s funding shortfalls recently forced the suspension of assistance to over 1 million people, leaving only 35,000 of the most vulnerable currently receiving monthly support from WFP.

Notes to the editor
Broadcast quality footage available here
Hi-res photos available here
More about WFP’s operations in Myanmar here