India delivers first consignment of relief materials to quake-hit Myanmar

New Delhi: India on Saturday delivered 15 tonnes of relief materials, including food and medical supplies, to Myanmar after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake killed more than 1,000 people in the country.

A transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) landed in Yangon with the first tranche of aid and a search and rescue team and a medical team.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the head of Myanmar’s State Administration Council or military junta to convey condolences express India’s solidarity as a “close friend and neighbour”.

Also Read: Myanmar-Thailand earthquake: India puts emergency response teams on standby

“Spoke with Senior General H.E. Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar. Conveyed our deep condolences at the loss of lives in the devastating earthquake. As a close friend and neighbour, India stands in solidarity with the people of Myanmar in this difficult hour,” Modi said on social media.

“Disaster relief material, humanitarian assistance, search & rescue teams are being expeditiously dispatched to the affected areas as part of #OperationBrahma.”

External affairs minister S Jaishankar said on social media that India would send more aid to Myanmar.

The external affairs ministry said two more IAF aircraft with relief materials will depart for Myanmar from the Hindon airbase on Saturday.

The shallow 7.7-magnitude quake struck northwest of Sagaing city in central Myanmar on Friday afternoon, and was followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock. The tremors flattened buildings in several cities, and severe damage was reported in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second biggest city with 1.7 million residents.

Myanmar’s military junta said on Saturday that 1,002 people were killed. Close to 700 deaths were reported in Mandalay region, where another 1,700 were injured. About 10 more deaths were reported in Thailand’s capital Bangkok.

Also Read: Earthquake videos: Building collapses in Bangkok, Ava Bridge falls in Myanmar as quake causes widespread damage

India, in keeping with its reputation as a first responder in emergencies in the region, sent the first tranche of aid to Myanmar shortly after midnight in a C-130 transport aircraft. The humanitarian mission was given the name Operation Brahma.

“First tranche of humanitarian aid from India has reached the Yangon Airport in Myanmar,” Jaishankar said in a social media post.

“A search & rescue team and medical team is also accompanying this flight,” he said in another post.

“We will continue to monitor the developments and more aid will follow.”

The flight delivered 15 tonnes of materials, including blankets, tarpaulins, tents, sleeping bags, hygiene kits, solar lamps, ready to eat meals, water purifiers, kitchen sets, generators and essential medicines and medical supplies.

The first consignment of relief materials was handed over by India’s ambassador Abhay Thakur to Yangon’s chief minister U Soe Thein.

Also Read: India to send 80-member NDRF team for rescue in earthquake-hit Myanmar

The Indian embassy in Myanmar said it was coordinating the speedy delivery of assistance and relief supplies with the Myanmar authorities. “We are also in constant touch with Indian community. Reiterate our emergency number for needy Indian nationals:+95-95419602,” the embassy said on social media.

This was the biggest earthquake to hit Myanmar in more than a century, and reports said the toll is expected to rise significantly, with the true scale of the destruction yet to emerge because communications were badly disrupted.

The powerful tremors were felt as far away as Bangkok and parts of India’s northeastern region.