Rebecca Kesby

battleground between pro-democracy rebels and the government. So even that area itself, the government has limited control of. So there's a real patchwork of people who should be doing things. We're hearing from the military government that they are going to get relief. We're also hearing from the rebels of the National Unity Government that they are trying to help.

But what we're seeing from the footage that is coming out is it's really people on the ground. I saw some quite extraordinary footage from my colleagues in the Burmese service of people literally with their hands helping a woman and a 10-month-old baby out of the rubble. That was in Naperville. And you see them there lying. She talks about how she was lying there praying for help.

But what we're seeing from the footage that is coming out is it's really people on the ground. I saw some quite extraordinary footage from my colleagues in the Burmese service of people literally with their hands helping a woman and a 10-month-old baby out of the rubble. That was in Naperville. And you see them there lying. She talks about how she was lying there praying for help.

But it's very local and very rudimentary at the moment.

But it's very local and very rudimentary at the moment.

It is very unusual. Since seizing power in that coup nearly four years ago, Min Aung Hlaing has plunged his country into isolation. So he has effectively shut the country off. So foreign journalists have been barred. Independent media basically shut down. We haven't got foreign aid workers in there. So for him to say we need international help is a sign of how bad things are.

It is very unusual. Since seizing power in that coup nearly four years ago, Min Aung Hlaing has plunged his country into isolation. So he has effectively shut the country off. So foreign journalists have been barred. Independent media basically shut down. We haven't got foreign aid workers in there. So for him to say we need international help is a sign of how bad things are.

But how easy will it be for international aid to get in? Very difficult because they're really starting from scratch. And one of the key things that I've been hearing from aid agencies who have tried to continue to have a presence in the country are through local partners, is that they face intimidation from the military when they try to act.

But how easy will it be for international aid to get in? Very difficult because they're really starting from scratch. And one of the key things that I've been hearing from aid agencies who have tried to continue to have a presence in the country are through local partners, is that they face intimidation from the military when they try to act.

They're also operating in a very active civil war, so they also need to negotiate with the pro-democracy rebels as well. And the Myanmar military has a history of denying aid to opposition areas and blocking aid. So there's concern from aid agency people that I've been speaking to today that they

They're also operating in a very active civil war, so they also need to negotiate with the pro-democracy rebels as well. And the Myanmar military has a history of denying aid to opposition areas and blocking aid. So there's concern from aid agency people that I've been speaking to today that they

This open door request may not really lead to something on the ground that they can work with, but they're willing to try. We're hearing from all agencies that they're gearing up. They're going to go in. They're going to help. And looking at this from an optimistic kind of lens, this could be a window that the country is craving for, for the world to pay attention to what's happening.

This open door request may not really lead to something on the ground that they can work with, but they're willing to try. We're hearing from all agencies that they're gearing up. They're going to go in. They're going to help. And looking at this from an optimistic kind of lens, this could be a window that the country is craving for, for the world to pay attention to what's happening.

inside Myanmar. Of all the pro-democracy groups I speak to, the world's forgotten Myanmar and how this earthquake has forced us to look at it. Perhaps this is the window where things change.

inside Myanmar. Of all the pro-democracy groups I speak to, the world's forgotten Myanmar and how this earthquake has forced us to look at it. Perhaps this is the window where things change.

My BBC Burmese colleagues are getting reports and images and videos from Mandele, mainly. And the situation is very grim. They're getting reports now of schools collapsing, at least five hotels in Mandele. and also significant historic buildings in the city.

My BBC Burmese colleagues are getting reports and images and videos from Mandele, mainly. And the situation is very grim. They're getting reports now of schools collapsing, at least five hotels in Mandele. and also significant historic buildings in the city.

So an ancient mosque, also a monastery has collapsed and they're also getting images of fires that have broken out in some of the universities in that city and also images of makeshift hospitals, so beds out in the open with people with serious wounds. So it's a very chaotic and very bleak picture that we're getting.

So an ancient mosque, also a monastery has collapsed and they're also getting images of fires that have broken out in some of the universities in that city and also images of makeshift hospitals, so beds out in the open with people with serious wounds. So it's a very chaotic and very bleak picture that we're getting.

It is. Since seizing power in a coup nearly four years ago, the Myanmar military has plunged the country into isolation. They have barred foreign journalists from entering, foreign aid agencies are severely restricted, they have restricted communications and they are waging a civil war against a pro-democracy uprising.