Carpenters are desperately needed in the Inle Lake area to rebuild houses destroyed by the 28 March earthquake as locals face hardships and are in urgent need of support.
The 28 March 7.7 magnitude earthquake that had its epicentre just west of Mandalay City caused significant damage to the Inle Lake area in southern Shan State. Many houses built on stilts over the lake collapsed during the powerful tremor and sank into the water. Reconstruction efforts now urgently require carpenters, building materials, solar lights, modern equipment, and financial support.
Explaining the need for carpenters, Ko Naing Htoo, a local involved in rescue and relief efforts said: “There’s a huge need for carpenters right now. Local carpenters are busy rebuilding their own homes, so they’re not available to take on work for others. And the younger ones who know carpentry aren’t around either—they’ve fled to avoid conscription. That’s why there’s a serious shortage of carpenters in the Inle Lake area.”
Rebuilding all the houses destroyed by the earthquake is expected to take around a year. With the rainy season approaching downpours may delay construction. Therefore, it is essential to make as much progress as possible during the current dry summer months.
Currently, locals whose houses have been destroyed are having to stay in temporary huts made of bamboo that cost about 400,000 MMK each to build. Currently, more bamboo is needed to build more temporary huts.
Ko Naing Htoo said: “Even if we used all the bamboo in the entire Inle Lake area, it still wouldn’t be enough to build the huts. That’s why we need donors from other areas to send bamboo. The average cost of building a hut is around 400,000 MMK. Right now, reconstruction is more important to us than food. So, instead of just handing out snacks to the earthquake victims, I want to urge donors to consider contributing materials that are truly needed.”
Heavy machinery is also required to clear the debris. The junta's Irrigation and Water Utilisation Management Department does not have nearly enough backhoes near Inle Lake to remove all the rubble in the area.
Solar lighting is also needed. An aid worker involved in relief efforts in the Inle Lake area and Kalaw Township in southern Shan State said: “Solar lighting is really needed in places where people gather to sleep at night. They also need mats, as some are sleeping on the ground without any [mats].”
The strongest earthquake in around a century in Myanmar killed over 200 people in the Inle Lake area and caused damage to or destroyed approximately 2,600 homes there.
The Inle Lake area relies heavily on tourism, which had already been severely impacted by the pandemic and the junta's February 2021 coup. In mid-September 2024, the region was further devastated by severe flash floods.
Now, during the ongoing earthquake crisis, the Inle Lake area continues to struggle. Aid and donations are reaching it in much smaller amounts compared to some other affected regions, according to aid organisations.
