MANDALAY- A homemade bomb exploded at an electricity manager office in Pyigyitakon Township in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second largest city. The explosion, which occurred in the morning of July 16, injured two government staff and six people who came to pay their electricity bill, according to initial reports. 

The explosion took place at the cashier of the electricity office when citizens were lining up to pay for their electric bills. Two of the government staff from the electric office along with six citizens who were paying their electric bill were injured in the process, according to local sources. The injured included five men and three women. There was also some damage to the electricity office. 

The eight people who were injured from this explosion have been sent to Mandalay General Hospital. 

Several electricity offices in Myanmar, especially in the largest city of Yangon, have been bombed over the past week after the ruling military urged residents to pay their electricity bills in order to avoid electricity cuts. 

A female ward administrator, who was handing out surgical masks and hand sanitizers at a market in Mandalay Region, was also shot and killed by two unidentified assailants on July 14th. 

Despite the deadly health and humanitarian crisis from the third wave of Covid-19, Myanmar continues to experience daily occurrences of instability and violence.