The £1 million raised by Scots for Myanmar in first 24 hours of 'devastating' earthquake disaster campaign

A man from Myanmar now living in Glasgow has warned people in his home country are “suffering a lot” as an emergency fundraising drive raised £1 million in Scotland in just 24 hours.

The Disasters Emergency Committee’s (DEC) Appeal to support communities across Myanmar who have been shattered by the devastating earthquake in the country ten days ago, raised a total of more than £10m across the UK.

At least 3,000 people are now known to have died with thousands more injured in a catastrophic earthquake which hit Myanmar on 28 March. It is another catastrophic blow to the country, which already had around 20 million people in need of humanitarian aid.

Won Maung Thein came to Scotland as a student 10 years ago and now lives in Glasgow and is a care worker in Ayr. He is of Arakenese descent, with his family from the Arakan region of Myanmar, in the Rakhine state on the country’s west coast.

Mr Thein’s friend is in Mandalay, one of the worst affected cities. He has heard first hand from her how the earthquake unfolded.

He said: “At first time they didn't realise it was happening and when it really happened, they were so scared and terrified that they do not know what to do. Some people were just staying in the house and they were lying down on the ground. My friend, she said it was very terrifying experiences.

Care worker Won Maung Thein, from Myanmar, who lives in Scotland, called for more help for people suffering in his country. | DEC

He said when she looked outside she saw that buildings had been destroyed and “a lot of people were dying around her”.

With aftershocks continuing, many people are too scared to return home and are sleeping in the streets. In soaring temperatures, with the threat of disease rising, fresh, clean water and food are also desperately needed.

Mr Thein added: “Because the weather now is very hot, probably 40 degrees plus, when they do not have a home, a shelter and they have to live under the under the sun, it’s devastating.”

He said people from Myanmar are “really suffering a lot”.

He said: “Please help people from Myanmar to give any support with any funds, anything, anything possible, any emotional support. Any shelter, water, food, anything possible, please help them as much as possible, because we really need help and a lot of people are already dead.”

Roads and buildings across the country have been destroyed, including schools, hospitals, water supplies and other vital infrastructure. Network and power lines are down, and people are cut off from essential services.

The Appeal in Scotland has been boosted by support from the Scottish Government, which has released £200,000 from its Humanitarian Emergency Fund. The UK government is also using up to £5 million of extra Aid Match support to double individual donations from the public.

Jamie Livingstone, head of Oxfam Scotland and spokesman for the DEC in Scotland said: “This earthquake has torn apart lives. As temperatures soar in Myanmar, many people are living with no shelter to protect them.

“People are scared, injured, and in urgent need of food, clean water, and medical care. The support and solidarity of the Scottish public will allow DEC charities to deliver critically needed support to those who need it most. Thank you to everybody who has donated so far.”

The DEC brings together 15 leading UK aid charities at times of humanitarian crisis overseas.

Donations can be made at www.dec.org.uk or by phone [phone] or via text HOPE to 70727 to donate £10.