TROPICAL STORM TRAMI: M’SIA SENDS HUMANITARIAN AND DISASTER RELIEF AID TO THE PHILIPPINES

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 26 (Bernama) -- Malaysia today sent a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) asset, the EC725 Helicopter, with 16 crew members to the Philippines for a humanitarian and disaster relief mission after the country was hit by Tropical Storm Trami.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said in a statement that the team left from the Labuan Air Base and arrived at the Villamor Air Base in Manila at 2.48 pm, with the team's assignment in the Philippines set to last until Nov 2.

He said the emergency relief mission was mobilised after the Philippines government issued a Diplomatic Note to the Embassy of Malaysia in Manila for humanitarian and disaster assistance in the form of an air asset and logistics for transporting aid supplies to disaster-affected areas.

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"Following that, the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), together with the Defence Ministry, Foreign Ministry, Malaysian Armed Forces and Malawakil Malaysia in the Philippines, carried out the coordination of the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) mission.

"As an immediate action, Malaysia has offered the Philippines a C-130 Hercules aircraft for aerial transportation of aid items to the affected areas, as well as SMART (Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team), which is ready to assist in search and rescue operations,” he said.

Ahmad Zahid, also the National Disaster Committee chairman, said Malaysia is committed to working closely with the Philippines government in humanitarian aid missions after thousands of people in the country were affected by widespread flooding due to heavy rain.

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"All Malaysians pray that the situation in the Philippines recovers quickly and the assistance given will help ease the burden of the victims,” he said.

According to international news reports, Tropical Storm Trami had displaced nearly half a million people and killed at least 87.

Nine provinces nationwide reported Trami-related fatalities, with the Bicol region, situated southeast of Manila, the worst hit by the typhoon, recording the highest number of fatalities at 28, followed by the Calabarzon province with 15 deaths.

Trami, the 11th typhoon to hit the Philipines this year, crossed the main island of Luzon, causing widespread destruction, with floods and landslides in the Provinces of Bicol and Calabarzon.

-- BERNAMA