<h6><strong>The Diplomat</strong></h6> <strong>The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) has mobilized two million euros to help victims of the Myanmar earthquake.</strong> The earthquake, measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale, occurred on March 28 and affected more than 15 million people. The epicenter, located at a depth of ten kilometers, was approximately 16 kilometers northwest of the city of Sagaing and 19 kilometers northwest of the city of Mandalay. Strong tremors were also felt in Thailand and the Chinese province of Yunnan. Myanmar has experienced at least thirteen aftershocks, with recorded magnitudes between 4.3 and 6.7. Spain, through the AECID (Spanish Agency for International Development and Cooperation), has contributed €500,000 to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies' emergency appeal for the response to the Myanmar earthquake and another €1.5 million to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC-DREF). Both tools, made available to States by the Federation, are two of the most effective and rapid response methods to implement, according to the AECID in a press release. The objective of the appeal is to cover the immediate humanitarian needs of 100,000 people (20,000 households) affected by the earthquake, with a strong focus on recovery and rehabilitation over a 24-month period. Actions will focus especially on the sectors of multipurpose assistance, health, WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene), protection, and risk prevention and reduction.
