By Olivia Le Poidevin
Geneva (Reuters) -Humanitarian operations in Myanmar are hindered by damaged roads and infrastructure, said the UN office for the coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCA) on Saturday.
An earthquake of 7.7 magnitude on Friday damaged the critical infrastructure, including large bridges and roads, seriously, making it difficult for humanitarian operations to gain access to areas in need, Ocha said.
“Damage to the Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw-Mandalay Expressway led to disruptions of services, with cracks and surface storm that force highway buses to stop the activities,” said the UN agency in a statement.
Hospitals in Central and Northwest – Myanmar are struggling to handle the influx of people injured in the earthquake, the agency, according to the agency. Seventeen trucks from shelter and medical supplies arrive on March 30 to tackle the current shortages of medicines, including blood bags and anesthetics.
The military rulers of Myanmar let hundreds of foreign rescue staff on Saturday after the earthquake had killed more than 1600 people, the deadliest natural disaster to touch the poor, torn country in years.
Friday's earthquake, one of the largest that shocked the Southeast -Asian nation in the last century, lame airports, bridges and highways in the midst of a civil war that destroyed the economy and displaced millions.
(Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin; adaptation by Kirsten Donovan)
