India sends 40 tonnes of aid to earthquake-stricken Myanmar

New Delhi

On Saturday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced that Indian Navy ships INS Satpura and INS Savitri are en route to Yangon, Myanmar, carrying 40 tonnes of humanitarian aid as part of Operation Brahma. The aid aims to support those affected by the recent devastating earthquake in Myanmar.

Jaishankar shared the update on X, stating that the two naval ships are heading to Myanmar's Yangon port with vital supplies. Meanwhile, an aftershock of magnitude 4.7 hit the region, according to the National Center for Seismology. The earthquake’s tremors have caused widespread damage in Myanmar, with at least 1,000 people confirmed dead. The 7.7 magnitude quake, which struck near Mandalay, is the most significant earthquake in Myanmar in over a century, and the death toll could rise to 10,000, according to the US Geological Survey.

The quake’s effects were also felt in neighboring Thailand, where it caused building collapses and at least 10 deaths. Thai authorities are working to rescue over 100 individuals trapped in the rubble of a high-rise. The Thai royal family has expressed condolences to the families of the victims and announced that they would extend medical care to the injured.

The death toll in Myanmar continues to climb, with the country’s military junta reporting 694 deaths and over 1,600 injuries in the Mandalay region, near the earthquake’s epicenter.