Myanmar earthquake: foreign ministry has no news on Swiss victims
The Swiss foreign ministry is not yet aware of any Swiss nationals among the victims or those affected by the earthquake that struck central Myanmar on Friday.
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The Swiss embassies in Bangkok (Thailand) and Yangon (Myanmar) are in contact with the authorities there.
Currently, 470 Swiss citizens are registered in the “Travel Admin” application in Thailand and two in Myanmar, the foreign ministry told the Swiss News Agency Keystone-ATS. As for Swiss nationals abroad, the register lists 13,372 in Thailand and 57 in Myanmar.
The foreign ministry points out that the regions of Thailand where most Swiss nationals live were not affected by the earthquake. In any case, it invites Swiss nationals to follow the instructions of the local authorities. It is also considering whether to adapt the travel advice for these two countries published on its website.
Humanitarian agencies say Friday’s quake, which measured 7.7 magnitude, has killed more than 1,000 people.
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Immediate aid
Caritas has already earmarked CHF50,000 ($57,000) as immediate emergency aid. The population of Myanmar is already weakened by civil war, displacement and flooding, the aid organisation said in a statement. The international network of Caritas partners is assessing the needs on the ground and planning these initial interventions. It is certain that people are in need of drinking water, tents and emergency accommodation, it said.
Save the Children reported that more than 28 million people live in the six affected federal states – Sagaing, Mandalay, Magwe, Bago, Shan and Naypyidaw – of whom 6.7 million are children. The aid organisation, which has been active in the country since 1995, is assessing what emergency aid it can provide immediately.
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Military power
The Swiss foreign ministry currently advises against travelling to Myanmar without compelling reasons: the army seized power in the Asian country on February 1, 2021 and declared a state of emergency. On its website, the foreign ministry reports that martial law is in force in some regions and districts of Yangon, which allows the security forces to use firearms immediately.
Thailand, on the other hand, is considered a safe country for travel, although the foreign ministry advises against travelling to the southern provinces. Here there are religious tensions with the Muslim population. Malay Muslim rebels regularly carry out attacks against public institutions.
Translated from Italian by DeepL/ts
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