Myanmar faces humanitarian crisis after quake, IFRC says

By Olivia Le Poidevin

GENEVA (Reuters) -Myanmar faces a humanitarian crisis following the 7.7-magnitude quake that has killed more than 1,600 people, and the country's aid needs are increasing by the hour, Red Cross officials said on Sunday.

Friday's quake, one of the strongest to hit Myanmar in a century, has damaged infrastructure including bridges, highways, airports and railways - hampering rescue efforts as a civil war rages on in the Southeast Asian nation.

"This is not just a disaster; it is a complex humanitarian crisis layered over existing vulnerabilities," Alexander Matheou, regional director for Asia Pacific at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said in a statement.

"The magnitude of this disaster is substantial, and the need for support is urgent," he added.

Foreign rescue teams arrived in Myanmar on Sunday to help the impoverished country cope with the disaster, and the Red Cross of Myanmar said volunteers were administering first aid and distributing items such as blankets, tarpaulins and hygiene kits.

"The destruction has been extensive, and humanitarian needs are growing by the hour," it said in Sunday's statement.

The IFRC has launched an emergency appeal for 100 million CHF ($113.60 million) to assist 100,000 people with life-saving relief and early recovery support.

On Saturday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said aid operations were being hindered by damaged roads and that hospitals in central and northwestern Myanmar were struggling to cope with the influx of people injured in the earthquake.

($1 = 0.8803 Swiss francs)

(Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin;Editing by Helen Popper)