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Some families waited for a month, in the hope of receiving critical aid following the Myanmar earthquake, which killed more than 3,700 people, victims and groups of Radio Asia.
The Myanmar army has been accused of having hindered help efforts by preventing international and local rescue groups from entering the earthquake -struck areas and demanding that groups distribute essential items such as food and temporary shelter through managers of the junta.
A Mandalay resident, the country’s second city and close to the epicenter of the earthquake, said that he had received no help since his house collapsed.
“Due to the replicas, we cannot go back. Until today, we sleep on the side of the road. Yesterday, there were more aftershocks and we were on the edge,” he said, refusing to be appointed for fear of reprisals.
“I want to say above all that we have not obtained any type of help listed by the managers of the service, the canton or the district. We didn’t even get a bottle of water or a slice of cookie – it’s the honest truth. ”
The recovery of the earthquake of March 28 was still hampered by hundreds of air strikes by the Myanmar soldiers, who killed more than 160 people across the country, according to data compiled by Radio Free Asia.
Residents sleeping outside were also subjected to monsoon rains, extreme heat and unpredictable weather conditions, adding to the planned public health crisis.
In overcrowded areas, the aid groups that have been allowed to enter have enough food for all the victims, said Mandalay resident.
Help organizations from 29 countries operated in Myanmar until April 20, providing more than 3,700 tonnes of emergency supplies, said Junta spokesperson, Major-General Zaw Min Tun, MRTV state broadcaster.
All the supplies available, with the exception of “some shelters and impermeable” had been distributed in areas affected by the earthquakes of Naycyidaw, the capital of the country, as well as in the Mandalay region, the Sagaing region and the state of Shan, he said on Wednesday.
On the ground, the victims could only receive the help of the United Nations Development Program, or the UNDP, said that a volunteer who was himself affected by the earthquake in the city of Pyawbwe in the Mandalay region.
“The UNDP is the only one to have arrived with household items, shelters, electricity banks, solar lights, canned fish, red beans, clothing, women’s articles and medical kits,” he said, refusing to be appointed for security reasons.
He said that the junta had collected lists of deaths and people affected by the earthquake, but that the victims have received no help. The rescue teams reported that at least 300 people died in the city of Pyawbwe only.
Residents of other regions of the Mandalay region and the Sagaing region, as well as parts of the country with a strong presence of junta, such as the Inle region of Shan State and the capital of Naycyidaw, also say they have been confronted with limited aid following poor systematic distribution, said volunteers of the rescue committee.
But the junta denied allegations of mismanagement.
“For those who have been faced with destruction, the amount must be assessed and aid will be distributed according to what is decided by government organizations,” said Lay Shwe Zin Oo, director of the Department of Catastrophes of the Ministry of the Social Protection.
“If they have not yet obtained it, they should contact their general administrators and negotiate aid,” she said, adding that many victims have not yet signed up for help.
More than 5100 people were injured in the earthquake and more than 100 are still missing, according to the latest data from the Myanmar army. As of April 24, nearly 64,000 houses were destroyed, affecting some 629,000 people.
Translated by Kiana Duncan. Published by Tajun Kang and Mike Firn.