ASEAN MILITARY READY GROUP ACTIVATES RAPID RESPONSE FOR MYANMAR QUAKE VICTIMS

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

JAKARTA, April 1 (Bernama) -- Five countries from the ASEAN Military Ready Group on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief have swiftly deployed military aircraft to Myanmar following a powerful earthquake that struck the country on March 28.

Several Hercules aircraft, including A400Ms from Malaysia were dispatched after receiving a request from the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), based in Jakarta.

ASEAN's Defence Representative to the AHA Centre, Brigadier General Azrin Iskandar Zulkaply, said: “The aircraft were deployed without delay to ensure we could begin providing the necessary assistance to Myanmar as soon as possible.”

The first teams from Singapore and Thailand arrived on March 29, followed by Malaysia and Vietnam on March 30, and Indonesia joined the effort on Monday to deliver personnel, equipment, and supplies for search-and-rescue missions (SAR), medical aid, and other relief efforts to those affected.

Meanwhile, Brunei sent three members of the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT), who arrived in Myanmar on Monday to support ongoing coordination and assessment operations.

Laos is also going to send an Emergency Medical Team (EMT) and a SAR unit to aid in relief and recovery efforts, said Azrin, who is also Malaysia’s Defence Attaché in Jakarta.

He described the coordinated efforts of the ASEAN countries as critical, emphasising, “the response from the participating countries was swift to ensure that aid reached the people of Myanmar without delay.”

He added that the highest priority now is the deployment of Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams to locate and assist survivors trapped in rubble, while also delivering critical medical supplies, food, water, and shelter.

The aid sent offloaded in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar’s capital, as designated by the Myanmar government.

“We are coordinating efforts to mobilise supplies from the UN Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) in Subang, Malaysia, and the satellite warehouse in Chainat, Thailand, to ensure swift and efficient distribution,” Azrin said.

The ASEAN Military Ready Group will continue to monitor developments in Myanmar and remain on standby for further missions as requested by the AHA Centre, which is coordinating the relief efforts, including additional planned assistance.

“Our commitment to assisting the people of Myanmar is unwavering. We are ready for the next phase of delivery and will continue to collaborate to provide the support needed until the country begins its recovery,” he added.

Azrin also expressed his condolences to the people of Myanmar, offering deep sympathy for the loss of life and the destruction caused by the earthquake.

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck near Sagaing, Myanmar, around 12.50 pm local time on Friday has so far claimed the lives of over 2,900 people, with around 4,000 others reported injured and at least 270 missing.

On Friday, the AHA Centre raised its Emergency Operations Centre alert level to ‘RED’, indicating a critical situation requiring immediate attention.

The Government of Myanmar issued a request for international assistance through a letter to the Secretary-General of ASEAN, asking for mobilised resources to support the rescue, relief, and recovery efforts in the affected areas.

-- BERNAMA