Water Mission, a Christian engineering nonprofit, is deploying a Disaster Response Assistance Team to Southeast Asia following the deadly magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand. The earthquake has caused widespread destruction to infrastructure such as buildings, homes, and roads across the countries of Myanmar and Thailand. The Water Mission team will initially start their mission in Thailand working to assess safe water, sanitation, and hygiene needs across the region.
The earthquake is believed to have claimed more than 1,600 lives and hundreds of people are also reported as injured and missing. Initial reports expect that these numbers could rise in the days ahead. During any disaster, clean, safe water is critical. It helps prevent the spread of water-related illnesses, which are especially deadly to young children
“Water Mission has responded to more than 60 disasters around the world, including similar large earthquakes over the last two years in Turkey and Morocco,” said Water Mission CEO and President George C. Greene IV, PE. “Our Disaster Assistance Response Team is well versed in quickly mobilizing and collaborating with partners on the ground to provide emergency assistance as quickly as possible where it is needed most.”
Control tower at Myanmar airport collapsed
Satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by The Associated Press show the earthquake toppled the air traffic control tower at Naypyitaw International Airport.
The photos taken Saturday show the tower toppled over as if sheered from its base. Debris lay scattered from the top of the tower, which controlled all air traffic in the capital of Myanmar.
It wasn’t immediately clear if there had been any injuries in the collapse, though the tower would have had staff inside of it at the time of the earthquake Friday. It likely also stopped air traffic into the international airport, given all electronics and radar would have been routed into the tower for controllers.
Flights carrying rescue teams from China have landed at the airport in Yangon instead of going directly to the airports in the major stricken cities of Mandalay and Naypyitaw.
Water Mission has more than 20 years of experience responding to natural disasters and humanitarian crises with immediate and long-term safe water solutions. Over the last two years, Water Mission has responded to hurricanes in the U.S. and Caribbean, flooding in East Africa, earthquakes in Turkey and Morocco, cholera outbreaks in Malawi, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Water Mission has served more than 8 million people globally since 2001.
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About Water Mission
Water Mission is a Christian engineering nonprofit that builds sustainable safe water solutions for people in developing countries, refugee camps, and disaster areas. Since 2001, Water Mission has served more than 8 million people in more than 60 countries, sharing safe water and the message of God’s love. Water Mission’s global headquarters is in North Charleston, SC, and the organization serves people in Africa; Asia; and North, South, and Central America. Charity Navigator has awarded Water Mission its top four-star rating 18 years in a row, a distinction shared by less than 1% of the charities rated by the organization.