UAE emergency team supports critical earthquake rescue efforts in Myanmar

Emergency teams continue urgent search for survivors as death toll climbs above 3,000

A UAE humanitarian task force is supporting crucial rescue efforts in Myanmar after a devastating earthquake last week that killed thousands and caused widespread destruction.

The shallow 7.7-magnitude earthquake on Friday flattened buildings across the South-East Asian country, prompting the international community to come to its aid.

President Sheikh Mohamed on Monday directed a search and rescue team to be sent to the stricken nation, made up of Abu Dhabi Civil Defence, Abu Dhabi Police, the UAE National Guard and Joint Operations Command.

The initiative stems from “the UAE’s commitment to providing immediate relief to communities suffering from the aftermath of natural disasters anywhere in the world as a gesture of solidarity and brotherhood”, state news agency Wam reported.

UAE rescue teams support the relief effort in Myanmar. Wam

The UAE rescue team is continuing to deliver assistance to those affected by the natural disaster. Search and rescue operations are being conducted across six locations in Myanmar, with teams working in rotating morning and evening shifts to boost response efforts and reach as many affected areas as possible.

Myanmar's military leaders have announced a temporary ceasefire in an effort to make relief operations easier.

The number of deaths rose to 3,085 on Thursday, with 4,715 injured and 341 missing, the junta said.

The military government said it would observe a ceasefire until April 22 after other armed groups fighting the country's four-year civil war made similar pledges. The junta said the ceasefire had “the aim of speeding up relief and reconstruction efforts, and maintaining peace and stability”.

Rights groups and several foreign governments had earlier condemned the leaders for continuing to carry out air strikes as the country dealt with the quake aftermath.