ASEAN TO STEP UP AID TO MYANMAR AFTER DEVASTATING QUAKE 

PUTRAJAYA, April 1 (Bernama) --  More support and aid from ASEAN member states are expected to arrive in Myanmar Tuesday to assist in the rescue and recovery efforts as the death toll from last week’s massive quake continues to climb.

The Malaysian Foreign Ministry, in a statement, emphasised that as ASEAN Chair in 2025, Malaysia is working closely with fellow ASEAN member states to support Myanmar in this time of need, reflecting the bloc’s collective commitment to disaster response and regional cooperation. 

Malaysia’s Special Malaysian Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART), MAS-01, arrived in Sagaing on March 31 and is currently establishing a Base of Operations (BoO) at the Sagaing Anniversary Football Pitch.

Equipped with command posts, medical facilities, decontamination zones, and rest areas, the BoO is fully self-sufficient for up to 14 days of operations.

The team, operating under the direction of Myanmar’s Department of Disaster Management (DDM), has focused its search and rescue (SAR) efforts on critical sites including religious buildings, schools, and hospitals.

According to the ministry, the Malaysian team remains the only international search and rescue team currently operating in Sagaing, filling a critical gap in humanitarian relief.

“Despite frequent aftershocks, challenging terrain, and extreme hot weather, the team has made significant progress at locations such as Nyat Private School and various mosques and temples.

“Their efforts have been met with appreciation by local communities, who have responded with acts of kindness such as pooling drinking water for the team,” it added.

Support from ASEAN neighbours has already begun arriving in Myanmar. Teams from Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam have been deployed and are actively contributing to search and rescue and relief operations on the ground.

“These deployments reflect ASEAN’s united response and commitment to standing together in times of hardship,” it said in the statement.

The ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), has mobilised the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT) and is preparing the delivery of regional relief supplies through the Disaster Emergency Logistics System for ASEAN (DELSA) to support affected communities efficiently and effectively.

It said that as of March 31, local authorities reported a death toll of 2,900, with 3,400 injured and many still missing following the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28.

The ministry, through the Malaysian Embassy in Yangon, added it will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide support to MAS-01.

-- BERNAMA