One week after an earthquake struck Turkey in 2023, French volunteers used a small radar device to locate a survivor trapped beneath rubble. This was one of many lives the device helped save in the disaster aftermath. The volunteers also traveled to Myanmar after a powerful earthquake last month that destroyed buildings, bridges, and historical temples. They were detained at the Yangon airport for over a day before entering the country, only to have authorities end search and rescue operations the following day. Myanmar’s military government requested international assistance and declared a cease-fire against rebels, but aid groups and volunteers claim that relief is not reaching the affected population as quickly as it could be due to government delays and restrictions. There is also a climate of fear, as the military has resumed airstrikes on rebel areas and fired on aid workers. Many in Myanmar are left homeless, sleeping in the open and relying on daily rations provided by local aid groups. The junta’s motives in coordinating all assistance themselves are questioned, and there is a history of the military mismanaging disaster response.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/07/world/asia/myanmar-earthquake-aid.html