India Becomes First Responder to Myanmar Earthquake, Sends More Relief Material Under ‘Operation Brahma’

New Delhi: India became the first country to send rescue personnel to Myanmar deploying an 80-member NDRF team to assist in search and rescue operations after a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit, as per the XP Division of the Ministry of External Affairs. 

The Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130J aircraft, carrying the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team, departed from Hindon Air Force Station and landed in Naypyitaw on Saturday with critical relief supplies and was warmly received by officials there. 

The Indian Ambassador to Myanmar, Abhay Thakur, and Maung Maung Lynn, Ambassador-at-Large in Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, welcomed the NDRF team, the MEA confirmed.

The NDRF team is set to depart for Mandalay early tomorrow morning, making it the first rescue team to arrive for relief operations, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The airport remains partially non-functional following the earthquake.

During a special MEA press briefing on Operation Brahma earlier today, DIG NDRF Mohsen Shahedi stated, "The NDRF team comprises 80 rescuers and is trained in urban search and rescue operations. The deployment is being carried out in two flights—one has already taken off for Myanmar, while the second is about to depart from Hindon Air Base. The next 24 to 48 hours are critical. Additionally, a reserve team has been stationed in Kolkata, ready for deployment upon confirmation."

Commodore Raghunath Nair added that four ships carrying humanitarian aid are part of the relief efforts. 

Two ships departed earlier today—one at 2 AM and the other at 2 PM—and are expected to reach Yangon, Myanmar, on March 31. 

The remaining two ships, currently on standby at Sri Vijaya Puram in the Andaman Islands, will set sail tomorrow and are expected to arrive around the same time as the first two vessels.

India Dispatches 15 Tonnes of Relief Aid to Earthquake -Hit Myanmar

India has sent around 15 tonnes of relief materials to Myanmar in response to the devastating earthquakes that struck the country, sources said.

The aid package includes essential supplies such as tents, sleeping bags, blankets, ready-to-eat meals, water purification systems, solar lamps, generator sets, and critical medicines, they added.

Also Read: Survivors Recall Terrifying Myanmar-Thailand Earthquake

Myanmar Earthquake Claims Over 1,000 Lives, Toll Expected to Rise

A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake, with its epicenter in Mandalay at a depth of 10 kilometers, struck Myanmar, followed by a second tremor measuring 6.4. According to authorities, the quakes have claimed at least 1,002 lives, left 2,376 injured, and 30 people remain missing.

Myanmar’s military chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, announced on television that the number of casualties is expected to rise further.

In Mandalay, several buildings, including one of the city’s largest monasteries, have collapsed. Images from the capital, Naypyidaw, show rescue teams pulling survivors from the rubble of government housing complexes.

Myanmar sits on an active seismic zone, and the US Geological Survey (USGS) has warned that the death toll could exceed 1,000.

Bangkok Earthquake Kills 10, 100 Missing Amid Widespread Destruction

The earthquake also caused severe destruction in Bangkok, Thailand, where a tower collapse resulted in multiple casualties. Authorities have declared a state of emergency in the capital, temporarily suspending flights.

So far, 10 people have been confirmed dead, 22 injured, and 100 remain missing. Officials fear the toll may continue to rise as rescue operations continue.