Four hundred thirty-two households in Seinban Ward, which were simultaneously affected by an earthquake and a fire, are being provided with temporary shelters constructed by the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) and Mandalay Region Red Cross volunteers, with support from the Red Cross Society of China.  

In Mahaaungmye Township, Mandalay Region, hundreds of homes in Seinban Ward’s Thanlyet Maw West Group, Model Ward (402) Thae Kyin and adjacent Main Ward (390) were damaged when a fire broke out following a 7.7-magnitude earthquake on March 28.  

To assist the 432 households affected by both the earthquake and fire, MRCS and Mandalay Region Red Cross volunteers, with aid from the Red Cross Society of China, collaborated to build temporary shelters at the Mahaaungmye sports ground on April 4 and 5. Eleven Media has learned that the disaster claimed the lives of one man and three women.  

"During the earthquake, something like a gas explosion happened, and large flames erupted from between the buildings. Within about 15 minutes, over a hundred houses burned down. Most people couldn’t save anything. One man from Thae Kyin and three women from Main Ward 10 died," said Ko Aung, a resident of Thanlyet Maw West Group, Model Ward (402) Thae Kyin, speaking to Eleven Media.  

A monk from Shwebo Monastery mentioned that while they, along with philanthropists, are doing their best to help the affected people with food, shelter, and healthcare needs, the area is a low-income neighborhood. He expressed hope that the government would step in to assist the thousands of displaced residents in rebuilding their lives.  

Additionally, because the families suffered from both the earthquake and fire simultaneously, they not only lost their homes but also important documents, including identification papers. This has made relocating extremely difficult, and they are in urgent need of further assistance for survival and daily necessities.