Residents in the Inle region of Shan State are facing challenges as they attempt to rebuild their homes following the powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck near Sagaing City last month.

The quake caused widespread devastation across Inle, toppling houses and forcing locals to tear down damaged structures and erect temporary bamboo shelters. However, efforts to rebuild permanent homes have been complicated by dramatic changes to the landscape in villages like Hancho, Kaylar, and Zayatgyi.

“We are demolishing and rebuilding collapsed and leaning houses. Previously, we would bury the posts about 10 feet deep, but now we have to go down 15 to 18 feet because the ground has shifted,” one resident told SHAN.

He explained that the earthquake had softened the soil throughout the area, particularly around the foundations of buildings, causing widespread instability.

“It’s now common for houses to be pulled up with chains and lowered even deeper into the ground. In places where homes have tilted into the water, the soil has become even more unstable,” he said.

With varying water levels and changing soil conditions across the region, many families are encountering severe obstacles as they attempt to rebuild.

Local reports indicate that over 2,500 homes in the Inle area were damaged by the earthquake, with more than 1,300 completely destroyed. Many families are now struggling financially, compounding the difficulty of reconstruction.

The March 28 quake, which struck near Sagaing City, stands as one of Myanmar’s deadliest natural disasters in recent history, claiming at least 4,212 lives and injuring more than 6,588 people nationwide.