Letters | Quake-hit Myanmar can draw hope from Nepal’s rebuilding

Readers discuss Nepal’s recovery from the 2015 quake, Disney’s remake of Snow White, and the heartwarming scenes that play out on Hong Kong’s public transport

Reading Time:3 minutes

People walk past debris in the damaged 19th century Me Nu Brick monastery in Inwa on the outskirts of Mandalay on April 12, following the devastating March 28 earthquake. Photo: AFP

Published: 11:30am, 20 Apr 2025

Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification

Reading about the Myanmar earthquake, I am reminded of an upcoming grim anniversary. The Myanmar quake struck a few weeks short of the 10th anniversary of the earthquake that ripped through Nepal on April 25, 2015.

The 2015 earthquake and its aftershocks caused devastation across the Himalayas. Thousands died and many more were displaced. Temples that had stood for centuries crumbled like matchstick houses in an instant.

Myanmar is now thrown into similar trauma. In a nation plagued by constant humanmade violence, it remains to be seen how the population will weather the latest disaster, and one wonders if the crisis could have any kind of positive outcome. I believe the response to the 2015 earthquake in Nepal offers hope.

After the dust cleared, Nepalese were confronted with a reality that was not obvious before the disaster – that their tangible heritage was not invincible. Centuries-old wooden structures that were the pride of the nation collapsed in an instant, and their fragility shocked the population nearly as much as the earthquake.

The citizenry was not passive; activists were galvanised to rebuild cultural and architectural marvels. A new generation of cultural activists sprang up, led by architects and engineers, who designed the new temples to measure up to both traditional standards and seismic activity.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2-3x faster

1.1x

220 WPM

Slow

Normal

Fast

00:0000:00

1.1x