Earthquake devastates Naypyidaw, Triggering relocation and rebuilding plans

While the official death toll across the country has surpassed 3,700, local sources and aid groups believe the real number, especially in Naypyitaw, could be significantly higher.

According to a leaked preliminary assessment, more than one-third of government staff housing in Naypyitaw has either collapsed or is structurally uninhabitable.

Out of 1,556 staff buildings surveyed across nine wards and two administrative areas, 116 buildings were reported destroyed and another 494 severely damaged. Authorities say the remaining 946 structures are still under inspection, with no firm timeline for repairs or safe reoccupation.

Government departments, including the Ministry of Construction and military engineering units, have acknowledged the extent of the devastation but admit that reconstruction work has yet to begin. An official from the Ministry of Health confirmed that the damage assessment is ongoing and that displaced staff remain in temporary shelters or makeshift camps.

The capital's urban layout is now under review. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar’s junta leader, announced plans to redesign Naypyitaw’s urban structure during a cabinet meeting held shortly after the quake. He cited soft soil as a key factor contributing to the collapse of numerous buildings and stressed the need for future constructions to be earthquake-resistant.

In addition to staff housing, critical government institutions—including the Presidential Residence, Parliament complex, War Office, and multiple ministries—suffered extensive damage, as shown in widely shared images on social media. The regime has not released an updated death toll for Naypyitaw since April 3, when 511 fatalities were reported. However, local residents estimate that up to 80% of the city’s government buildings and staff quarters were affected.

The disaster has forced the military government to consider relocating several ministries to Yangon, Myanmar’s former capital. Ministries reported to be planning temporary or permanent relocation include Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Population, Hotels and Tourism, Commerce, and the Central Bank. Many of these offices had been previously sold off or vacated during the capital’s move to Naypyitaw in 2005, but have retained operational capacity.

"We’ve been told to return to work, but our offices no longer exist," said a Customs Department employee currently sheltering in Pyinmana. "The plan now is to set up tents in ministry compounds and continue operations in the open."

Other government staff who evacuated to cities like Yangon or Taungoo have received instructions to return and resume duties, despite a lack of habitable offices. The regime has reportedly ordered the transfer of documents, equipment, and other vital assets from quake-ruined buildings to temporary facilities or alternative sites.

Relief efforts have been slow and uneven. While over 2,900 families are staying in 75 temporary relief camps in Naypyidaw, more than 23,800 families have been forced to relocate elsewhere. Many displaced government workers and civilians are taking refuge in monasteries, railway stations, or on roadsides, awaiting government action. Theft from collapsed buildings has been reported, but subsided after the junta allegedly issued shoot-on-sight warnings.

The earthquake also caused significant destruction beyond the capital. In total, over 5,400 government buildings, 52,000 homes, 2,600 schools, 600 hospitals and clinics, and 250 hotels were either destroyed or damaged across Naypyitaw, Mandalay, and Sagaing regions. Mandalay reported the highest number of casualties, followed by Naypyitaw and Sagaing.

Despite the scale of the disaster, the junta has not held public consultations with business leaders, many of whom are struggling to operate amid infrastructure failures and relocation uncertainty. The Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry said business activity in Naypyitaw and Mandalay has ground to a halt.

Adding to the humanitarian crisis are persistent power outages, water shortages, and surging prices for food and basic goods, making recovery even more challenging for quake survivors.

While the regime has promised to rebuild housing for government employees by June, observers remain sceptical. Most of the affected buildings remain untouched, and with the military stretched thin by ongoing conflicts across the country, meaningful reconstruction could take years. In the meantime, ministry staff continue to work under improvised conditions or await relocation orders, marking a profound disruption to the functioning of the Myanmar government.