THE tragedy that befell Myanmar and Thailand, both members of the largely economic alliance Association of Southeast Asian Nations, on Friday last week has left a drape of destruction that caused stomachs churning and left survivors afloat with an unsettling feeling.
More than 1,700 people have died and more than 3,400 have been injured from the magnitude 7.7 tremor, according to the leaders of Myanmar’s military government. In Thailand, at least 18 were killed.
Beyond doubt these two neighboring countries are still feeling dizzy, even as international aid has started being flown in or reaching the disaster zones by available roads from all directions.
Even those beyond the swathe of death and destruction and have been unaffected personally have been left nonplussed.
Lives have definitely instantly changed, with an ordinary day ripped up or pulled to pieces.
As some observers of tragedies have said, “there is only everything before this moment and now everything after, tragedy divides each affected life into separate parts: before and after.”
We happily note the Philippines, also a member of the 57-year-old ASEAN, will be deploying today three Philippine Emergency Medical Assistance Teams to help in post-earthquake response in Myanmar and Thailand.
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa has instructed the PEMATs to be on standby for deployment once international coordination protocols with the affected countries are complete and a request is received.
“We are continuously in touch with the office of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. for further instructions as the Philippines coordinates with its earthquake-stricken ASEAN neighbors,” Herbosa said.
The World Health Organization said Sunday the Myanmar earthquake was a top-level emergency as it urgently sought $8 million to save lives and prevent disease outbreaks over the next 30 days.
Here we see the ripple effect and the power of human life is immeasurable.
While we raise prayers for additional survivors to be retrieved and rescued from the ruins, the window of opportunity to find anyone alive is rapidly closing.
Most rescues occur within the first 24 hours after a disaster, and then survival chances drop as each day passes.
Verily, we do not have a choice when tragedy strikes others near us.
But we do have a choice about how we address its effects. And our government is there and then, ready to help ease the suffering.