Dutch Ministry alerts travelers as Myanmar’s earthquake death toll surpasses 1,000

The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a travel advisory for Myanmar and Thailand after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the region on Friday, March 28. The disaster has caused extensive damage, particularly in Myanmar, where the death toll has exceeded 1,000.

In Myanmar, several airports remain closed, and critical infrastructure has been severely affected. Roads and bridges between Mandalay and Yangon have collapsed, and widespread power outages and communication failures have left much of the country without electricity or phone service.

The ANWB Emergency Center has received at least 15 reports from Dutch travelers in the affected region. Some missed flights, while others were forced to leave passports behind in hotels. "Fortunately, we have not yet received reports of Dutch tourists suffering injuries," a spokesperson said.

In Thailand, most essential services are operational, and air travel has resumed, but authorities have yet to declare some buildings structurally safe. The Dutch government urges travelers to follow local media and obey instructions from authorities.

Even before the earthquake, Myanmar was already under a high-risk travel advisory. The Dutch government had classified large parts of the north, west, and east—including the Golden Triangle—as red zones, advising against all travel. The rest of the country was labeled orange, meaning travel should be strictly for essential purposes only. Since the 2021 military coup, ongoing violence, airstrikes, and attacks have made the security situation extremely unstable.