The U.S., the E.U. China, Russia, India, and the U.N. have pledged support for Myanmar after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the country on Friday. U.S. President Donald Trump told the media from the Oval Office on Friday that Washington would assist with relief efforts.
“We’re going to be helping,” said President Trump. “It’s terrible what’s happening. We’ve already spoken with the country.”
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres told the media on Friday that the regime in Naypyidaw had requested its support.
“Our team in Myanmar is already in contact in order to fully mobilize our resources in the region to support the people of Myanmar,” said Guterres.
The U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) Deputy Country Director for Myanmar Sheela Matthew said the earthquake hit the country “at the worst possible time. With one in four in the country already facing acute food insecurity, Myanmar just can’t afford another disaster.”
Matthew added that the WFP is ready to respond as needed with stocks of ready-to-eat food in its warehouses across Myanmar.
The E.U. pledged to provide 2.5 million Euros ($2.7 million USD) in initial emergency assistance.
A 37-member rescue team carrying emergency relief supplies, such as life detectors, earthquake early warning systems, and drones arrived in Myanmar from China on Saturday, the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar shared on social media.
The Russian Emergencies Ministry sent two planes carrying 120 rescuers, as well as canine search teams skilled at finding people trapped under the rubble, to Myanmar.
Anesthesiologists and psychologists were also on the planes, a ministry spokesperson told the Russian news agency Tass, on Friday.
India announced it was sending around 15 tonnes of relief materials in a military transport aircraft to Myanmar on Saturday, news agency PTI reported, citing sources in New Delhi.
It added that the relief materials included tents, sleeping bags, blankets, ready-to-eat meals, water purifiers, solar lamps, generator sets, and essential medicines.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto offered help to Myanmar and Thailand, which was also impacted by the earthquake.
Six people were killed, 22 were injured, and 101 are still missing from three construction sites, including a high-rise that collapsed in Bangkok on Friday, AP reported.
At least 144 bodies have been recovered from areas of Myanmar impacted by the earthquake, regime leader Min Aung Hlaing said on Friday evening from Myanmar’s capital Naypyidaw. This includes 96 bodies recovered in Naypyidaw, 30 in Kyaukse town of Mandalay Region, and 18 in Sagaing town of Sagaing Region.
“The death toll and injuries are expected to rise,” said Min Aung Hlaing during his address to the nation on March 28.
Over 432 people have sustained injuries from the earthquake in Naypyidaw, 300 in Sagaing, and the number in Mandalay is still being counted. This brings the number of injured to at least 732.
Min Aung Hlaing urged citizens to contribute as much as possible to earthquake relief and rescue operations.
The regime in Naypyidaw has declared a state of emergency in six states and regions, including Sagaing, which was the epicenter of the earthquake, as well as neighbouring Mandalay, Magway and Bago regions.
Naypyidaw, where videos circulated on social media showing roads and highways destroyed, and Shan State, where a hotel in Aungban Township collapsed killing at least four, were also areas devastated by one of the most powerful earthquakes to hit Myanmar since 1912, when an 8.0 magnitude earthquake struck Mandalay, the country’s second largest city.
