Collapsed building in Yemathin, a major town on the major town on the old Yangon-Mandalay highway. 89 people died, 800 people are facing water shortages. Photo: NAG Myanmar
Earthquake deepens humanitarian crisis in Myanmar
(LWI) – The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is urgently calling for donations to support churches and communities in Myanmar and Thailand following the devastating earthquake that struck Southeast Asia on 28 March 2025. LWF is assessing the situation and responding through its local partners and member churches.
The LWF General Secretary, Rev. Dr Anne Burghardt, has sent a solidarity letter to church leaders in Thailand and Myanmar, conveying “empathy and solidarity” and assuring the churches of LWF’s prayers. The General Secretary affirmed the Lutheran communion’s "commitment to stand alongside you and the churches in this time of crisis” through tangible support and aid.
Infrastructure and access challenges
The powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit central Myanmar on Friday 28 March 2025, at approximately 12:50 PM local time. The epicenter was near Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city. Tremors were felt across the region, including in northern Thailand and the capital, Bangkok. More than 2,000 people have been reported dead, and the number is expected to rise as access to remote areas remains limited.
“Many survivors are mourning loved ones, sleeping outside in fear of aftershocks, and struggling to access clean water, food, and shelter”, says an LWF contact in Yangon. The disaster comes at a time when the country was already grappling with political unrest, economic hardship, and widespread infrastructure collapse. “In Yangon, electricity cuts have caused serious water shortages, because all the water pumps no longer function.”
Many survivors are mourning loved ones, sleeping outside in fear of aftershocks, and struggling to access clean water, food, and shelter.
LWF contact, Yangon
The earthquake has struck a population already burdened by political turmoil, economic hardship, and a fragile infrastructure. Amid these challenges, LWF is also concerned about the situation of the country’s four Lutheran churches, which have congregations in some of the hardest-hit areas, including Mandalay and the Inle region.
Aid and pastoral care
“Our church leaders are based in Yangon, but many congregations are in rural regions near the epicenter,” explains Katariina Kiilunen, LWF Program Executive for Capacity Building and Leadership Development, who was in Bangkok for an LWF workshop when the earthquake struck. “They have no way to contact many of their members. They don’t know if they’re safe.”
Collapsed building in Mandalay, Myanmar. The city was at the epicenter of the earthquake. Photo: NAG Myanmar
The rural InnLay region has been among the most affected by the earthquake. Photo: NAG Myanmar
LWF is working closely with church leaders and trusted local partners to deliver aid and pastoral care where possible. “We are committed to standing with our sisters and brothers during this difficult time,” says Kiilunen.
At the time of the earthquake, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Thailand in Bangkok was hosting LWF’s annual regional diaconal workshop. The event brought together 36 pastors and diaconal workers from across Asia. All participants and staff are safe. “We had just finished our closing prayer when the earthquake hit,” Kiilunen recalls. “Thankfully, we were on the ground floor of the church—far safer than many of the high-rise buildings around us.”
