UN launches $275 million appeal after Myanmar earthquakes that doubled humanitarian needs

The United Nations told reporters that two devastating earthquakes struck Myanmar about two weeks earlier and have prompted a $275 million appeal to the 2025 humanitarian needs and response plan. The appeal, the spokesperson said, aims to reach about 1.1 million people with urgent aid.

Context: UN agencies estimated the earthquakes pushed roughly 2 million people into critical need of assistance and protection, on top of the roughly 19.9 million people already estimated to need humanitarian aid in Myanmar before the disaster. The spokesperson said UN agencies, partners and member states have quickly mobilized medical care, shelter, safe water, hygiene kits and food.

Additional funding and operational notes: The UN Central Emergency Response Fund has allocated an additional $5 million for the earthquake response on top of a prior $5 million allocation, the spokesperson said. She also conveyed a statement from the UN human rights office saying civilians continue to suffer as military operations persist despite ceasefires declared after the earthquake, and that the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, called on the military to remove obstacles to humanitarian delivery and to cease military operations.

Why it matters: The spokesperson framed the new appeal as a response to a rapid deterioration in humanitarian needs and underscored the interaction between natural disaster and ongoing conflict that complicates relief efforts. The UN said a report on the forum will be presented later this year to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly when relevant.