Vietnamese army ready to join earthquake relief efforts in Myanmar
The Vietnam People's Army (VPA) has developed a Myanmar disaster relief deployment plan involving 79 military personnel, including command staff, communications teams, search-and-rescue forces, military dog handlers, and medical staff. Colonel Pham Hai Chau, deputy director of the VPA General Staff’s Search and Rescue Department, will lead the mission.
Search and rescue teams look for missing persons after the earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar. Photo: Xinhua/VNA
Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) is preparing to deploy a force to Myanmar to assist with its earthquake recovery efforts, according to the VPA General Staff at a conference on March 29.
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck central Myanmar on March 28, triggering at least 10 aftershocks ranging from magnitude 2.8 to 7.5. Thousands of people have been killed or injured in the disaster.
China, India, Russia, and Malaysia have already dispatched aid teams to Myanmar.
The Minister of National Defence has instructed the General Staff to assemble a relief force, pending approval from national authorities, to help Myanmar mitigate the disaster’s impact.
The General Staff’s Search and Rescue Department, in coordination with relevant agencies, has developed a deployment plan involving 79 military personnel, including command staff, communications teams, search-and-rescue forces, military dog handlers, and medical staff. Colonel Pham Hai Chau, deputy director of the department, will lead the mission.
The team’s equipment will be carefully selected to ensure efficiency, drawing from Vietnam’s experience in earthquake relief operations in Turkey in 2023.
The deployment is expected to commence on March 30.
The General Department of Logistics and Technical Services, along with the Military Personnel Department, is preparing transportation and supply chains for the mission, ensuring that logistical and technical support is in place. The Foreign Relations Department is coordinating travel arrangements with the Air Defence-Air Force Service and commercial airlines to transport personnel, equipment, and relief goods to the disaster zone in Myanmar.
Senior Lieutenant General Huynh Chien Thang, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, emphasised that Vietnam’s participation underscores the country’s commitment to international humanitarian efforts and highlights the responsibility and capacity of the Vietnam People’s Army in global cooperation.
He urged agencies to expedite necessary procedures, particularly in transport logistics, relief supplies, and safety measures, to ensure a swift deployment.
🦂 Learning from their experience in Turkey, Vietnam’s military units are fully prepared to mobilise immediately upon receiving the final go-ahead, he said./.
"ASEAN reaffirms its solidarity with the families and communities affected by the earthquake and its impact," ASEAN said in a statement, extending its deepest sympathies and condolences to the people of Myanmar and Thailand.
Vietnamese leaders have extended sympathy to leaders of Thailand and Myanmar following a devastating earthquake that struck Thailand and Myanmar on March 28, causing heavy human and property losses.
The earthquake hit Myanmar on early March 28 afternoon and also triggered strong tremors felt across many areas in Laos and Thailand, including Bangkok.
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