When a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Central Myanmar on 28 March, it devastated an already fragile environment. More than 3,500 lives were lost, and thousands were injured or left without shelter, electricity, or clean water. Damage to roads and airports created serious access impediments, delaying first responders and international search and rescue teams from reaching affected communities, many of whom were already in hard-to-reach areas. Even now, aftershocks continue to ripple across the region.
UNDSS immediately activated its crisis response protocols. Within hours, UNDSS Myanmar conducted head-counts, issued safety advisories, and coordinated movement. Within days, UNDSS Headquarters activated surge protocols to support the country office’s response. At the same time, the Emergency Response Team (ERT) embedded a Security Coordination Officer into the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team to strengthen capacity in the earthquake-affected areas.
Speed, Coordination, and Access
The scale of the UN response was significant. UNDAC deployed a 31-member team to Mandalay, Naypyidaw, and Yangon, while UN agencies began scaling up operations. Four additional UNDSS personnel were also cleared to deploy in support of the country office.
For UNDSS, the challenge was twofold: managing immediate risks from aftershocks, damaged infrastructure, and limited communications, while also enabling the safe passage of UNDAC team members and other UN and NGO responders, into areas with minimal prior access. The response, led by Sukumar Basu, CSA UNDSS Myanmar, supported both UNDAC and agency operations. In his words: “Enabling the humanitarian and lifesaving operations of the AFPs remained our main priority, and thus an operational radius was established with the essence of community acceptance and access coordination as the core of the SRM measures.”
The UNDSS team, spanning from Bangkok to Yangon and Naypyidaw, was pivotal in enabling UNDAC to deliver on its objectives. Embedding UNDSS within the UNDAC team provided tailored security support, significantly enhanced coordination with the country office, streamlined inter-agency planning, and reinforced overall operational cohesion.
Crucially, the HQ emergency response deployment was not a standalone effort; it supported an already strong local operation. As Brian Laguardia, Security Coordination Officer with the Emergency Response Team, now deployed to Myanmar, emphasized: “Anything we say about the ERT deployment must be framed as a continuation and reinforcement of the extraordinary efforts already underway by the country office. They were already doing the heavy lifting - we came in to support and help scale up.”
Together the UNDSS country team and HQ response capacity enabled real-time security updates and movement approvals, supporting access, including in conflict-affected zones where humanitarian needs were urgent.
Sustaining Presence, Enabling Recovery
Myanmar now faces the dual challenge of widespread devastation and the looming monsoon season, and the humanitarian needs are only growing. Infrastructure is broken. Displacement is widespread. Waterborne diseases are spreading.
Yet, the early days of the response laid a foundation for what comes next. This response is a reminder that security means enabling the UN to be present, stay and above all, to continue delivering life-saving programmes.
