Myanmar’s military junta took an unplanned step by announcing a 20-day ceasefire late Wednesday to help speed up quake relief as deaths passed 3,000. The truce declared by state-run MRTV will last until April 22, a brief respite in the country’s long-running civil war.
Monday’s 7.7 quake, which hit on March 28, brought down buildings, cut off transport routes, and added to Myanmar’s humanitarian disaster. More than 4,500 are injured and survivors are being rescued from the rubble five days later. In Naypyitaw, Turkish and local rescuers pulled out two males – one after 108 hours, another after 121 – from a hosting hotel. Such rescues were also reported from Mandalay and Sagaing.
The ceasefire comes after temporary truces by rebel groups, such as the People’s Defence Force, although both parties reserved the right to self-defense. Analysts doubt the halt will secure lasting peace. Ensuring that this ceasefire is sustained would require almost delicate diplomacy, said Singapore-based analyst Morgan Michaels. 
Difficulties in aid efforts continue: Aid convoy infoBurmese Motorola mobile intercept indicates a Chinese Red Cross convoy car fired at in Shan State; UN urges nimble action; Aid sectors face dire shortages—shelter, clean-running water, medical treatment are in top priority. Neighbors India and China are giving large amounts of assistance, with the US offering $2 million.
As survivors feel aftershocks, junta leader, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, faces concerns during unusual regional trip to Thailand. In the meantime, millions of displaced people await the monsoons, when landslides are now a threat.
