UNOPS teams deliver critical shelter, health and water support to over half a million people across Myanmar, racing to secure safe shelter before the looming monsoon season.

One month after Myanmar’s devastating earthquake, UNOPS has mobilized $25 million to deliver life-saving support to over half a million people. Operating across key affected areas – including Sagaing, the earthquake’s epicentre, Mandalay, and the Inle Lake region – our teams have delivered shelter, water, health services, and essential supplies, despite dangerous conditions and relentless heat topping 40°C. We remain on the ground working to reach all communities in need.

The scale of the crisis remains staggering. More than 3,800 lives were lost, over 5,100 people were injured, and at least 110 individuals remain missing, according to publicly available figures. Across the affected regions, thousands are living in crowded displacement sites or makeshift shelters, with safe shelter and basic services urgently needed to support recovery.

Clearing rubble is a major challenge, often left to residents themselves. To support communities, UNOPS has deployed specialized engineering teams to assess damaged homes for safety and guide practical ways of managing debris – sorting, reusing and rebuilding wherever possible. These efforts are critical as families race to secure shelter before the monsoon season arrives.

In Inle Lake’s unique environment, where some 35,000 people live in stilt houses above the water, access is possible only by boat. Entire communities saw their homes flooded and livelihoods destroyed, losing essential fishing equipment vital for survival. UNOPS is working with local partners to deliver emergency relief, assess damage to homes and boats, and support efforts to restore livelihoods critical to the region’s economy and food security.

The earthquake struck an already fragile Myanmar, where years of conflict and humanitarian need have left millions vulnerable. The UN Special Envoy has underscored the urgent need for a ceasefire to allow humanitarian operations to proceed unhindered – and to pave the way for a Myanmar-led, peaceful solution to the country’s protracted crisis.

Securing safe, unimpeded access to all affected areas remains essential. As we move into the critical weeks ahead, UNOPS is committed to empowering partners, supporting recovery, and – most urgently – helping families find safe shelter before the monsoon rains arrive.

Having operated in Myanmar since 2006, UNOPS is the largest UN entity in the country in terms of geographic reach, programme delivery, and staffing. One month into the response, we are transitioning from immediate relief – distributing food, tents, medicine, and conducting rapid facility assessments – toward early recovery efforts. In particular, we are working to connect emergency support with recovery activities to help families rebuild their livelihoods. Agriculture is central to life here, and after the earthquake, entire farming communities are at risk. Cracks opened in the earth, draining rice paddies dry and devastating harvests. We are doing what we can to help farmers get back on their feet, restore their fields, and keep the value chains that so many depend on alive before the monsoon season arrives.