Bangladesh has announced plans to deploy a rescue team to assist in relief efforts following a devastating earthquake in Myanmar.
A team from the Bangladesh Armed Forces will depart for Myanmar on Sunday, traveling by special aircraft to deliver essential medicines, relief supplies, and medical assistance in the wake of the disaster, according to the Inter Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) on Saturday.
The United Nations reported that Myanmar is facing a severe shortage of medical supplies, hindering rescue operations. Essential items such as trauma kits, blood bags, anesthetics, and medicines are urgently needed. The UN’s humanitarian agency, OCHA, also highlighted the shortage of tents for healthcare workers.
The earthquake, which struck northwest of Sagaing in central Myanmar on Friday afternoon, has left at least 1,644 dead and over 3,400 injured, with 139 people still missing, as confirmed by the country’s military junta. Rescue operations continue, with teams digging through rubble in search of survivors.
The 7.7-magnitude quake, followed shortly by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock, is the largest to hit Myanmar in decades. The tremors were so powerful that they caused significant damage to buildings in Bangkok, located hundreds of kilometers from the epicenter.
