India steps up aid for quake-hit Myanmar, sends more medical personnel, rescue teams

New Delhi: India has increased the speed and volume of humanitarian assistance for Myanmar by sending more medical personnel and specialised rescue teams to the neighbouring country hit by a massive earthquake that killed more than 1,600 people and left countless others buried. Meanwhile, on Sunday, as emergency rescue teams scoured collapsed buildings searching for survivors, a 5.1 magnitude aftershock hit near Myanmar's Mandalay.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a 5.1 magnitude earthquake hit near Myanmar's second-largest city Mandalay on Sunday, the latest in a string of aftershocks following Friday's devastating temblor. People rushed to the streets in alarm. Rescue work was temporarily halted, but there were no immediate reports of further damage.

Friday's 7.7 magnitude quake hit near Mandalay, bringing down scores of buildings and damaging other infrastructure. So far, more than 1,600 people have been reported dead and more than 3,400 missing in Myanmar and at least 17 in neighbouring Thailand. The numbers are expected to rise, as rescue efforts so far are focused on Mandalay and Naypyitaw, which are thought to have been the hardest hit, but many other areas were also impacted. Little is known so far about the damage there.

Under Operation Brahma, five Indian Air Force aircraft landed in Yangon and Naypyidaw on Sunday carrying aid material, 60 Para Field Ambulance and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel.

Indian Navy ships Satpura and Savitri, from the Eastern Naval Command, have sailed for Yangon. In addition, Indian Navy Ships Karmuk and LCU 52 from the Andaman and Nicobar Command will also be sailing for Yangon to assist in the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations. Approximately 52 tonnes of relief material have been embarked onboard these ships, including HADR pallets consisting of essential clothing, drinking water, food, medicines, and emergency stores, the Indian Navy said.

The Army has deployed a specialised rescue team from 50 (I) Para Brigade in Myanmar under Operation Brahma. The team, comprising 118 personnel, including medical and communication units, air-landed at Naypyidaw International Airport. The operation is being led by the Commander of the 50 (I) Para Brigade.

On arrival, the team was received by the Indian ambassador to Myanmar, along with the defence attaché (DA) and naaval attaché (NA) of Myanmar.

Mandalay has been identified as the primary area of operations. While aerial insertion remains a key mode of deployment, parallel road-based induction is also being explored to establish the operation theatre (OT) at Mandalay in the shortest possible time, the Indian Army said.

India has sent relief materials, rescue teams and medical equipment in five military aircraft to Myanmar to help victims of the 7.7-magnitude earthquake. On Friday itself, when the earthquake struck, India dispatched relief materials, medicines, an 80-member search and rescue team from the (NDRF) and military field hospitals to Myanmar in three C-130J and two C-17 Globemaster aircraft.

"Two C-17 aircraft with 118 members of the Indian Army Field Hospital Unit, including women and 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.