NEW DELHI: India on Monday said that National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have begun rescuing around 170 monks stranded at the ‘U Hla Thein’ monastery in Myanmar after a devastating earthquake, under Operation Brahma.
Rescue effort at ‘U hla thein’ monastery
“NDRF teams have begun rescue operations at the ‘U hla thein’ monastery where around 170 monks are still stuck. The army team will visit the hospital site today and will set up their Medical Services tomorrow,” the ministry of external affairs said.
Rescue efforts are being extended to Sky Villa, where four 11-storey towers have collapsed, while relief supplies to be distributed to 2000 uninjured monks without basic facilities.
“NDRF team are also trying to get deployed at the Sky Villa (where 4 towers of 11 storey each have collapsed). The relief material (arriving tomorrow) will also be given to the SG of state Mahanayak Committee (2nd highest of the Committee in Myanmar) where around 2000 monks are sitting outside the monastery (not injured but they have nowhere to go and no basic amenities).” it continued.
80-member search & rescue team reaches Myanmar
This comes in response to the devastating earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand on Friday. India has deployed National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) along with military field hospitals to Myanmar under ‘Operation Brahma’ to support rescue operations, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed.
“80-member strong @NDRFHQ search & rescue team departs for Nay Pyi Taw. They will assist the rescue operations in Myanmar,” Jaishankar wrote on X.
The transport was facilitated using three C-130J and two C-17 Globemaster aircraft. Officials confirmed that a specialist rescue unit from the Indian Army’s 50 (I) Para Brigade was rapidly mobilised to Myanmar.
The contingent, consisting of 118 personnel with medical and communications expertise, arrived at Myanmar’s capital Nay Pyi Taw on Saturday night. Officials said that the team’s primary mission would be conducting rescue operations in Mandalay.
“Two C-17 aircraft with 118 member Indian Army Field Hospital Unit, including Women & Child Care services and 60 tonnes of relief material have landed in Myanmar. With these, five relief flights from India have landed in Myanmar today,” External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on ‘X’ late Saturday night.
Indian Navy vessels transporting relief supplies
The ministry of defence said that India initiated Operation Brahma to support Myanmar following a severe 7.7-magnitude earthquake, with Indian Navy vessels transporting relief supplies to Yangon.
The ministry of external affairs is coordinating HADR efforts alongside Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, Indian Army, Indian Air Force and NDRF, as stated by the MoD.
Eastern Naval Command vessels Satpura and Savitri departed for Yangon on Saturday as part of the Indian Navy’s swift Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief response, according to the statement.
Furthermore, Indian Navy vessels Karmuk and LCU 52 from the Andaman and Nicobar Command will set sail for Yangon on Sunday to support HADR operations.
The defence ministry confirmed that these ships carry approximately 52 tonnes of relief supplies, including HADR packages with essential clothing, drinking water, food, medicines, and emergency provisions.
Under ‘Operation Brahma’, an Indian Air Force C-130 J aircraft carrying about 15 tonnes of relief materials, including tents, blankets, sleeping bags, food packets, hygiene kits, generators, and essential medicines, arrived in Yangon earlier today.
The Indian Navy maintains its commitment to being the region’s ‘First Responder’.
Over 1,700 bodies recovered
Rescue teams continue their search for survivors more than two days after the powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, causing buildings to collapse in Bangkok and sending tremors through nearby Chinese provinces, as reported by CNN.
Officials state this is the strongest earthquake to affect the conflict-affected nation in over 100 years.
The death toll from the earthquake in Myanmar has risen to over 1,700 as more bodies are recovered, the country’s military-led government said on Monday. 3,400 people are injured, and more than 300 are missing, they added.
