Vietnam’s rescue forces arrive in Myanmar for earthquake relief support
Monday, March 31, 2025, 14:02 GMT+7
A Vietnamese rescue delegation comprising 106 military and police personnel arrived in Myanmar on Sunday afternoon to provide humanitarian assistance following the devastating magnitude-7.7 quake that struck last Friday, leaving around 1,700 deaths, Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.
The team is led by Major General Pham Van Ty, deputy head of the Search and Rescue Department under the General Staff of the Vietnam’s People’s Army, and Colonel Nguyen Minh Khuong, deputy head of the Police Department of Fire Prevention and Fighting and Rescue under the Ministry of Public Security.
Welcoming the delegation at Yangon International Airport were U Soe Thein, Chief Minister of Myanmar's Yangon Region; Ly Quoc Tuan, Vietnamese Ambassador to Myanmar; Colonel Dao Van Duy, Defense Attaché at the Vietnamese Embassy in Myanmar; along with embassy staff.
In addition to the deployment of rescue forces, Vietnam has provided Myanmar with emergency relief supplies along with US$300,000 in aid to help the country overcome the earthquake's aftermath.
The Vietnamese rescue forces, accompanied by search dogs, are scheduled to commence search and rescue operations in the affected areas on Monday.
Concurrently, relief supplies will be distributed to the disaster-stricken communities.
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| Vietnam’s rescue delegation, comprising military and police units, arrives at Yangon International Airport, Myanmar on March 30, 2025 to join relief efforts following the massive earthquake that hit the country on March 28, 2025. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
These efforts demonstrate Vietnam's international responsibility and humanitarian spirit, affirming the capability of Vietnamese rescue forces in participating in international activities.
Major General Ty emphasized that the forces deployed to Myanmar are elite units that have undergone training and have been tested in specific missions both domestically and internationally.
“They previously participated in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in Turkey in 2023, gaining substantial experience in real-world operations. Additionally, they have handled similar situations within Vietnam and in neighboring countries such as Laos and Cambodia," Ty said.
Prior to this deployment, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, along with the Vietnam-Myanmar Friendship Association, sent messages of condolence to the people of Myanmar.
The magnitude-7.7 quake, one of Myanmar's strongest in a century, struck the war-torn Southeast Asian nation on Friday, leaving around 1,700 people dead, 3,400 injured, and over 300 missing as of Sunday, Reuters reported, citing Myanmar’s military government.
Its tremors were felt in neighboring regions, including the Thai capital Bangkok and two major Vietnamese cities – Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
The actual casualty figures are expected to rise as rescue operations continue.
The United States Geological Survey has projected that fatalities could exceed 10,000.
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