Myanmar earthquake: OCBC donates $50,000 to devastated communities

SINGAPORE – OCBC Bank will donate $50,000 through the Singapore Red Cross to aid communities in Myanmar devastated by the March 28 earthquake.

Starting from April 3, the bank will also accept customer donations through its various channels – including ATMs, internet banking and mobile banking – to support emergency relief efforts. All contributions will be directed to the Singapore Red Cross, OCBC announced in a statement on April 1.

The donations will be used to address the immediate needs of those affected by the disaster. This includes the distribution of essential supplies such as food, water, blankets and hygiene kits.

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake, which hit around lunchtime on March 28,

has claimed more than 2,000 lives

. Aid groups arriving in the worst-hit areas report an urgent need for shelter, food and clean water in the aftermath of the disaster.

Expressing her condolences, OCBC Group chief executive officer Helen Wong said: “We are deeply saddened by the significant loss of lives and damage caused by the earthquake.”

She also noted that the bank has implemented a staff support programme to ensure the well-being of employees at its Myanmar branch and their families.

OCBC’s ties to Myanmar date back nearly a century. In 1923, Oversea-Chinese Bank – one of the three banks that later merged to form OCBC in 1932 – established its first branch in Rangoon, now known as Yangon.

It operated as a branch from 1923 to 1963 before establishing a representative office in Yangon from 1994 to 2015. In April 2015, OCBC was one of the first three foreign banks to receive regulatory approval to operate a branch in Myanmar. 

As part of broader efforts to assist Myanmar, Singapore has

committed $150,000 in seed money to support

the Singapore Red Cross’ fund-raising efforts for Myanmar and Thailand, which was also affected by the quake.

On March 29, an

80-member Operation Lionheart contingent, along with four search dogs

from the Singapore Civil Defence Force, was dispatched to Myanmar to assist in rescue operations.