New Delhi: Hours after a high-intensity earthquake jolted Myanmar, causing widespread devastation, India came to the quick rescue of the neighboring country by sending rescue teams and providing humanitarian aid to assist in evacuation efforts as well as comforting the displaced populace.
IAF aircraft and Navy vessels have been pressed into service to assist the quake-torn nation.
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar took to X on Saturday to share pictures of the second tranche being sent to Myanmar.
“Indian Navy ships INS Satpura & INS Savitri are carrying 40 tonnes of humanitarian aid and headed for the port of Yangon,” EAM Jaishankar wrote on X.
He also informed that an 80-member dedicated team of NDRF (National Disaster Relief Force) has been rushed to Myanmar to help with search and rescue operations.
Earlier in the day, India launched ‘Operation Brahma’, following the quake that has claimed more than 1,000 deaths so far and thousands injured.
About 15 tonnes of relief material reached Yangon this morning, via an Indian Air Force cargo plane.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared images of IAF C-130 J aircraft carrying the first tranche of humanitarian aid, including tents, sleeping bags, food packets, hygiene kits, essential medicines and more.
He said that India acted as a ‘First Responder’ in assisting the people of Myanmar affected by Friday’s massive earthquake.
“Our first tranche of 15 tonnes of relief material, including tents, blankets, sleeping bags, food packets, hygiene kits, generators, and essential medicines, has landed in Yangon,” he wrote.
“The first consignment of relief material was formally handed over to Chief Minister of Yangon U Soe Thein by Ambassador Abhay Thakur in Yangon today,” he informed in another post.
A series of powerful earthquakes rocked Myanmar and neighbouring Thailand on Friday, leaving a trail of destruction. Many videos of collapsing buildings surfaced on social media, gripping the netizens in fear and shock.
The devastating quake prompted many countries, including the US, to offer help to Myanmar.
(IANS)
