Humanitarian efforts in Myanmar are being severely obstructed by damaged infrastructure following a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck on Friday. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the quake has caused extensive damage to crucial transportation routes, making it challenging for aid to reach the most affected areas.

The earthquake inflicted significant harm on the Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw-Mandalay expressway, resulting in service disruptions. Cracks and surface distortions have forced highway buses to cease operations, isolating communities in desperate need of assistance, as highlighted in a recent statement from OCHA.

In central and northwestern Myanmar, hospitals are overwhelmed with casualties stemming from the quake, exacerbating an already dire healthcare situation. To alleviate shortages in critical supplies, including blood bags and anesthetics, seventeen cargo trucks loaded with shelter and medical provisions are expected to arrive on March 30.

In the wake of the earthquake, which has claimed the lives of over 1,600 people, Myanmar's military government permitted the entry of hundreds of foreign rescue workers. This disaster marks one of the most devastating natural calamities to strike the impoverished nation in years, compounding the struggles it faces amid ongoing civil conflict that has ravaged its economy and displaced millions of citizens.

As the search for survivors continues and the need for humanitarian aid skyrockets, the situation remains precarious for the millions affected by this tragic event.