It's hard to find the right words to describe the devastation caused by the recent earthquake in Myanmar.
More than 2,000 lives have been lost, and over 3,400 are injured. Hospitals are overwhelmed, and critical infrastructure has been destroyed. Medical teams are doing everything they can, but they are working under extreme conditions.
My colleague Gilles in the region, shared the heartbreaking reality with me: "In Mandalay the situation is chaotic. The city has been cut off from the rest of the country for almost 48 hours, with widespread power cuts, and the main access routes severely damaged. A disaster of this scale is extremely traumatic. Most of the victims have lost everything they had."
I can't stop thinking about the families and children caught in this crisis, and what will happen if we don't act fast.
Despite the challenges – no electricity, no phones and highways completely destroyed – our teams are on the ground.
We have an emergency team in Mandalay preparing to provide physiotherapy and rehabilitation support to injured people as soon as possible. We will also be providing psychological support and distributing blankets, tents and hygiene kits to families who have lost everything in the disaster.
But so many people still need help, and right now every second counts. This is a tragedy for families in Myanmar, and they need our help right now. Sign the petition now to stand with them and help provide urgent support.
