India’s Operation Brahma is in full swing, providing critical rescue and relief efforts in Myanmar following a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake. The local community has expressed deep gratitude for India’s swift aid and support during this crisis.
A Myanmar local, Hussain, spoke to ANI and expressed gratitude for India’s efforts in Myanmar. He said, “We felt great relief when you arrived. You (Indians) are very hardworking people. We are very happy and at peace. We have benefited greatly from the arrival of the NDRF. May God shower blessings upon India and its leadership.”
NDRF crew member Kavita Singh told ANI, “There is little possibility of finding survivors as several days have passed, and the weather is extremely hot. So far, we have only retrieved dead bodies.”
She emphasized the NDRF’s commitment, stating that despite infrastructural challenges and risks, the team remains dedicated to the operation. Singh also mentioned that the NDRF has received immense support from the locals. She shared an incident in which a family approached the NDRF team, expressing relief and gratitude for their rescue efforts. “We are very proud and thankful that you have come to help us,” the locals told them.
Another NDRF crew member, Manju Bhati, stated that a team of 57 NDRF personnel had arrived in Myanmar. She explained that they had been assigned 13 locations to work in. “It is very difficult to retrieve the dead bodies. The intense heat makes survival nearly impossible. In such narrow streets, neither excavators nor cranes can operate… Everyone is in God’s hands now,” she said.
In response to the earthquake, an NDRF team, along with essential relief supplies, has been deployed to support rescue operations. According to an NDRF statement on Tuesday, “An Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) team of 80 skilled rescuers from the 8th Battalion NDRF, Ghaziabad, along with four trained canines, was airlifted in two sorties by the Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130 Hercules aircraft.”
The scale of devastation in Myanmar is enormous, and the swift actions taken by the Indian government are helping to alleviate the suffering of the affected population.
India has delivered 625 metric tonnes (MT) of Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) material to Myanmar as part of Operation Brahma, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday.
Operation Brahma was launched to provide essential support, including Search and Rescue (SAR), humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and medical assistance, following the earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28.
As the First Responder in times of crisis in the region, Operation Brahma is a whole-of-government effort by India to address the widespread destruction in Myanmar.
India has extended support on multiple fronts. According to the Indian Army, surgeons at the Indian medical facility in Myanmar have successfully performed two life-saving surgeries. On Tuesday, Lt. Gen. Myo Moe Aung, who is overseeing relief operations in Mandalay Division, visited the hospital unexpectedly. He praised the efficiency of the medical setup and appreciated India’s extraordinary efforts in supporting Myanmar during this tragic crisis.
Indian Naval ships INS Satpura and INS Savitri, from the Eastern Naval Command, sailed for Yangon on March 29, carrying 40 tonnes of HADR material, which was handed over to the Chief Minister of Yangon on Monday. INS Karmuk and LCU 52, from the Andaman and Nicobar Command, sailed for Yangon on March 30, carrying 30 tonnes of relief materials, including clothing, drinking water, food, medicines, and emergency supplies. These were handed over at Yangon Port on Tuesday, the MEA confirmed.
The MEA further stated that India stands ready to deploy additional material assistance and resources based on the evolving ground-level needs.
India’s ongoing efforts under Operation Brahma highlight its commitment to providing swift and substantial responses to natural disasters in its neighborhood.
(ANI)
