YANGON — The second batch of emergency humanitarian aid supplies dispatched by the Chinese government arrived at Yangon International Airport in Myanmar on Thursday.

The devastating 7.9-magnitude earthquake has claimed 3,085 lives, left 4,715 injured, and 341 people were reported missing, according to the Information Team of Myanmar's State Administration Council on Thursday.

The second batch of aid supplies includes 800 tents, 2,000 blankets, 3,000 boxes of biscuits, 2,000 boxes of mineral water and other urgently needed supplies. These were transported to Yangon from China by a chartered flight.

The first batch of emergency humanitarian aid supplies dispatched by the Chinese government for earthquake disaster relief arrived in Myanmar on March 31.

Li Ming, spokesman for China International Development Cooperation Agency, said China is willing to continue providing assistance to the people in the disaster-stricken areas based on Myanmar's needs — supporting their efforts to overcome the disaster as soon as possible.

He expressed confidence that with the joint efforts of China and the international community, the people of Myanmar will surely be able to tide over the disaster and rebuild their homes at an early date.

Chinese rescuers were continuing search and rescue operations in Mandalay, and have so far rescued 9 survivors from the rubble.

Due to the persistently high temperatures in the disaster-hit area, with daytime temperatures exceeding 40 C, and the increasing presence of mosquitoes at the operation sites, the China international search and rescue team has taken the lead in carrying out epidemic prevention and disinfection work at team camps and rescue sites.

Temporary ceasefire

On Wednesday, the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services of Myanmar said a temporary ceasefire will be in effect from April 2 to April 22, the office said in a statement.

The country is making every effort to continue rescue and reconstruction work, it said.

The statement said that during the temporary ceasefire, ethnic armed organizations and other armed groups must not obstruct or attack civilian transportation routes, harm lives or public property, assault security force camps engaged in safety and law enforcement duties, attack military bases, mobilize or reorganize forces that undermine peace, or carry out any territorial expansion. If such actions are taken, the defense forces will take necessary measures to protect the people.

As of Thursday morning, Myanmar has experienced 66 aftershocks ranging from magnitudes 2.8 to 7.5, according to the country's Department of Meteorology and Hydrology.

The United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric said continuing aftershocks are complicating humanitarian response efforts. In Mandalay City, the quake's epicenter, many people are completely cut off from electricity and running water.

"People affected continue to need urgent healthcare and medical supplies, safe drinking water, food and other critical items," Dujarric said. "Tents and temporary shelter are needed, as well as latrines and other hygiene items, to prevent disease outbreaks."

BEIJING -- The Chinese government dispatched the second batch of emergency humanitarian earthquake relief supplies to Myanmar from Beijing Capital International Airport on Thursday morning, according to the China International Development Cooperation Agency.

The second batch of aid supplies includes 800 tents, 2,000 blankets, 3,000 boxes of biscuits, 2,000 boxes of mineral water and other urgently needed supplies. The supplies are being transported to Yangon by a chartered flight from China. The first batch of emergency humanitarian aid for earthquake disaster relief arrived in Myanmar on March 31.

Li Ming, spokesperson for China International Development Cooperation Agency, said that China is willing to continue providing assistance to the people in the disaster-stricken areas based on Myanmar's needs, supporting their efforts to overcome the disaster as soon as possible.

He expressed confidence that with the joint efforts of China and the international community, the people of Myanmar will surely be able to overcome the disaster and rebuild their homes at an early date.

At 6 am on Wednesday, I woke up alongside hundreds of earthquake survivors near the moat of Mandalay Palace. Almost 36 hours had passed since my arrival in Myanmar, which was hit by a 7.9 magnitude earthquake on Friday.

The Chinese rescue teams were already hard at work, with generators humming and vehicles bustling. Food and water had been quietly placed outside the pitched mosquito net tents, my temporary residence, likely brought by local volunteer organizations or individual volunteers in the early hours of the day.

Across the street, a woman in her 80s lay trapped under rubble for over four days. Members of the Blue Sky Rescue Team from China have been tirelessly digging for two days and two nights in the deep hope of finding her alive. Around Tuesday midnight, I overheard them discussing their next steps.

To my left, the elderly woman's son and his family are taking refuge. Upon learning that I am a journalist from China, they kindly brought me a pillow and a blanket. As I write these words, they have even brought me hot fried dough sticks.

The powerful earthquake has sent the country reeling. As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 2,800 people were dead and over 4,600 were injured, and these figures are expected to rise. What the disaster-stricken people now face includes the loss of generational heritage and months of living in makeshift camps by the river.

Yet, as the sun rises, I see children playing, some residents washing their clothes in the river and hanging them on roadside railings, and many others still asleep. There is a rare sense of tranquility that cannot be ignored.

On this special journey, I have experienced the unwavering unity of the Chinese people, and the trust Myanmar's people have placed in China.

Upon my arrival in Myanmar with members of the Chinese Blue Sky Rescue Team on Monday, customs officials greeted us with respect and gratitude, the Blue Sky Rescue Team of Myanmar and the local chamber of commerce arranged vehicles for us, and the local telecom company provided SIM cards.

All members of the relief and rescue teams at the site have come voluntarily and have paid their own expenses. Zhang Guangrui, a Blue Sky Rescue volunteer from China, told me that upon hearing the news of the earthquake on Friday, he immediately rushed to Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, for a day of rescue work, and then flew nonstop to Myanmar.

To arrive as quickly as possible, he bought tickets for all available flight routes and finally boarded the fastest flight, making him one of the first advance team members to arrive at the disaster site on Sunday.

Local people are actively helping and expressing gratitude to the Chinese rescue teams. Anyone wearing the uniform of Blue Sky Rescue doesn't need to wait in line or even pay at the gas station, and traffic police are clearing the way for the vehicles of the Chinese teams. When rescue workers are in need of heavy machinery such as excavators, local companies are providing this equipment to the best of their abilities.

However, the Blue Sky Rescue Team is very disciplined and strictly adheres to principles. Its members have refused gifts and insist on paying all their expenses.

As relief materials and donations from China pour in and post-disaster recovery efforts gradually begin, I sincerely hope to witness more miracles of life. I also hope that Myanmar, bearing the scars of a devastating earthquake, will soon regain its beauty and overall tranquility.

Xu Nuo in Beijing contributed to this story.

China's swift response to the earthquake in Myanmar and its continuous support for rescue and relief efforts, including the deployment of the largest number of rescue teams and personnel, have been widely recognized by the government and people of the Southeast Asian country.

Li Ming, spokesman for the China International Development Cooperation Agency, said on Wednesday that nearly 30 Chinese rescue teams, comprising over 500 personnel, are currently assisting rescue and relief efforts in Myanmar.

"We deployed rescue teams within the critical 72-hour window. Following the principle of proximity, a rescue team from Yunnan province reached Myanmar within 18 hours of the earthquake," Li said.

As of Wednesday evening, Chinese teams had rescued nine survivors, according to China's Ministry of Emergency Management.

The ninth survivor — a man trapped under rubble in Mandalay for over 120 hours — was rescued by the Chinese national rescue team and the China International Search and Rescue Team at 5:40 pm local time. He was in stable condition at the time of rescue, the ministry said.

On Tuesday, Mandalay Mayor U Kyaw Hsan expressed his gratitude in person to members of the Chinese civil rescue team Ramunion.

During the dayslong cross-border rescue operation, the team searched 26 collapsed buildings, rescuing five survivors and recovering 12 bodies in 72 hours. Local residents spontaneously brought tea and fruit for the team as a gesture of appreciation.

According to Li, despite disruptions to transportation and communication networks, the first shipment of China's emergency humanitarian aid, including 1,200 tents, 8,000 blankets and over 40,000 first-aid kits, was delivered to Myanmar's capital, Nay Pyi Daw, on Tuesday for distribution among displaced residents.

The second shipment of relief supplies from China, including 800 tents, 2,000 blankets, 3,000 boxes of biscuits and 2,000 boxes of bottled water, is scheduled to be shipped on Thursday, he said.

The Red Cross Society of China has also provided 1.5 million yuan ($206,000) in cash aid, while Yunnan has donated 6.1 million yuan worth of disaster relief supplies, he added.

In Mandalay, many people whose homes were destroyed in the magnitude 7.9 earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday are now living outdoors.

"We need temporary shelters such as tents," said U Kyaw Kyaw, a resident who is currently sleeping on a mat on the riverbank. "I have seen the rescue teams from China working here. I want to thank them."

Shen Tingchong, from the Red Cross Society of China, said that while one team is supporting rescue operations, another is preparing for the construction of temporary shelters for the displaced people, including setting up toilets and water supply facilities.

"We will also carry out a disinfection drive, as post-disaster infectious diseases also need to be taken seriously," Shen added.

Zhang Guangrui, leader of the Blue Sky Rescue Team from China, said his squad has been searching for two days for an 84-year-old woman trapped under a collapsed building in Mandalay. "We are sparing no efforts. As victims are scattered in different places, many civil rescue forces and volunteers are required," he said.

Ma Yuehua, the victim's daughter, said the rescue team consulted with her and her family members about the building's structure before deciding on their next course of action. "I really want to see my mother as soon as possible. The Chinese rescue team has been helping us for two days. I am grateful for their tireless efforts," she added.

Li Yanlin, a third-generation Chinese immigrant in Myanmar, said, "We are very grateful to all the Chinese rescue teams for coming to help us."

Li Ming, from the China International Development Cooperation Agency, said that China is willing to continue supporting the people in Myanmar according to their needs.

"We believe that with the joint efforts of China and the international community, the people of Myanmar will soon overcome the disaster and rebuild their homes," he said.

According to Myanmar's State Administration Council, the earthquake has resulted in more than 3,000 deaths and 4,515 injuries. As of Wednesday, 649 people had been rescued and 351 were still missing.

YANGON -- The Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services of Myanmar said on Wednesday that a temporary ceasefire will be in effect from April 2 to 22.

Out of compassion and understanding for the earthquake victims across the country, and in order to accelerate rescue and reconstruction efforts, as well as maintain peace and stability, a temporary ceasefire will be in effect from April 2 to 22, the office said in a statement.

The statement noted that the massive earthquake on March 28 and the subsequent aftershocks caused damage to roads, bridges, and buildings, resulting in casualties.

The country is making every effort to continue rescue and reconstruction work, it said.

The statement said that during the temporary ceasefire, ethnic armed organizations and other armed groups must not obstruct or attack civilian transportation routes, harm lives or public property, assault security force camps engaged in safety and law enforcement duties, attack military bases, mobilize or reorganize forces that undermine peace, or carry out any territorial expansion. If such actions are taken, the defense forces will take necessary measures to protect the people.

YANGON -- The China international search and rescue team has continued its rescue efforts in several areas of Mandalay, central Myanmar.

On Tuesday, eight operational groups conducted comprehensive inspections and reconnaissance at five key locations, covering a total of 30 buildings, with disinfection of an area of around 2,000 square meters.

Around Mandalay Buddhist University, in response to local residents' requests, a continuous nine-hour comprehensive search and demolition operation was carried out Tuesday in the nearby residential area, where the body of one victim was found and recovered.

At the Golden City Crown Hotel, an eight-story building was severely damaged, with the bottom four floors collapsing. The rescue team began operations at 3:50 p.m. local time on March 31, and has been working continuously for many hours.

Meanwhile, the rescue team deployed four medical groups Tuesday to provide on-site support for search and rescue operations, adjusted and set up epidemic prevention and disinfection points, established epidemic prevention and control guidelines for the Chinese rescue team camp, and carried out disinfection of 75,000 square meters in the camp and around 1,200 square meters at the rescue sites. Additionally, medical consultations were held.

YANGON -- The deadly earthquake in Myanmar has resulted in 3,003 deaths, 4,515 injuries, and 351 people missing, the official media Myanmar Radio and Television reported late Wednesday.

At 6 am Wednesday, I awoke in a mosquito net alongside hundreds of earthquake victims near the moat of Mandalay Palace.

The Chinese rescue teams were already hard at work, with generators humming and vehicles bustling. Food and water had been quietly placed outside people's mosquito nets, likely brought by local volunteer organizations or individuals in the early hours of the morning.

Across the street, an elderly woman in her 80s has been trapped for over four days. The dedicated volunteers from the Blue Sky Rescue team have been tirelessly digging for two days and nights in hopes of finding her alive. Last night at midnight, I overheard them discussing their next steps for the excavation.

To my left, the elderly woman's son and his family are taking refuge. Upon learning that I was a journalist from China, they kindly brought pillows and blankets to my mosquito net — my temporary residence. As I pen these words, they have even brought us hot fried dough sticks.

This is the city center of Mandalay, near the ancient imperial city. These disaster-stricken individuals may face the loss of generational heritage, potentially leading to months of makeshift camps by the river.

Yet, as the morning sun rises, I see children playing, residents washing clothes in the river and hanging them on the roadside railings, and many disaster victims still asleep.

Since my arrival in Yangon on Monday evening, nearly 48 hours have passed. I feel ashamed that my videos, photos, and words cannot fully capture all that I have witnessed. It is my hope that this personal perspective can offer you a more first-hand understanding of the situation in Myanmar's disaster-stricken areas.

As a Chinese saying goes, "In times of difficulty, support comes from all directions". On this journey, I have personally experienced the unwavering unity of the Chinese people. The Blue Sky Rescue team from Myanmar and the local chamber of commerce had already arranged vehicles for us and other volunteers arriving before and after us. The local telecom company provided us with complimentary SIM cards, and customs officials greeted us with respect and gratitude.

The rescue volunteers didn't even eat the boxed meals prepared for them. They got on the bus straight away and traveled overnight for over 12 hours, arriving in Mandalay on Tuesday afternoon. As of last night, more than 110 professional international rescue volunteers from the Blue Sky Rescue team had arrived in Myanmar, with hundreds more from other civilian rescue teams.

Myanmar's scorching temperatures, exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in Mandalay these days, present challenges for the rescue efforts.

These days are also a critical period for rescue, with opportunities to find signs of life. At this moment, the elderly woman across the street, still trapped, weighs heavily on the hearts of many rescue team members. Their tireless efforts, working for hours on end without rest, also resonate with the local residents.

After the earthquake, fear gripped the people, prompting them to camp in open spaces overnight rather than remain in their homes. Fortunately, Myanmar's nighttime temperatures are moderate, and the self-sufficient and resilient attitude of the locals has brought a sense of calm to the city post-disaster.

The four-year-old son of a local resident has been sleeping with a small backpack and shoes these nights — he said he is afraid and ready to escape with his most beloved belongings at any time.

Local people have been helping and expressing gratitude to the Chinese rescue team are happening every minute, allowing me to see the significant impact that the Chinese people are making in the world, as is reflected by the attitude of the local people.

Anyone wearing Blue Sky Rescue team blue uniform driving to refuel doesn't need to wait in line, and even gas stations refuse payment. When Chinese rescue personnel go shopping or eat, locals warmly express their gratitude. Traffic police clear the way for vehicles from the Chinese rescue teams. When rescue workers need construction machinery such as excavators, relevant companies and organizations send assistance to the best of their ability.

However, the Blue Sky Rescue team strictly adheres to discipline and does not accept any gifts, insisting on paying for all expenses.

A volunteer from Blue Sky Rescue, who prefers to be called "Dry Cloud", told me that rescue work requires a lot of specialized knowledge depending on the actual situation at each site. For example, if some houses are very fragile and collapse completely during the earthquake, the excavation is simple — the injured can be rescued quickly. But for buildings that have not collapsed and are leaning, extra caution is needed during rescue. Designing excavation plans to avoid secondary collapse and harm to rescue personnel is crucial.

He also reminds all arriving volunteers that while helping others, they must have professional knowledge and technical support and pay attention to their own safety.

Continuous influxes of relief materials and donations from various parts of China have been arriving. Post-disaster recovery efforts, including body cleanup, epidemic prevention, medical care, road repairs, water supply and power restoration will also begin one after another.

Stay tuned to China Daily as we will continue to bring you firsthand reports from the front lines.

Xu Nuo in Beijing contributed to this story.

YANGON -- The Chinese rescue team successfully extricated a male survivor at a hotel on Wednesday afternoon in Mandalay, Myanmar.

The man, an employee of the E-outfitting Golden Country Hotel, had been trapped for over 120 hours and was in stable condition when rescued.

The survivor has been transferred to a local hospital for further treatment. This marks the ninth survivor successfully rescued by the Chinese rescue teams.

YANGON -- A man trapped beneath the debris of a collapsed guesthouse for 122 hours was rescued in Myanmar's Sagaing region, following Friday's devastating earthquake, according to the Myanmar Fire Services Department (MFSD) on Wednesday.

The MFSD rescue team, in collaboration with international rescuers, carried out the operation and successfully pulled him out alive at 2:45 pm local time on Wednesday, it said.

Rescue efforts are still ongoing, according to the department.

To ensure rescue forces and materials from China's Yunnan province swiftly reach the quake-hit areas in Myanmar, the Kunming Customs fast-tracked customs clearance of relief goods, rescue team members, and search and rescue dogs.

BEIJING -- The first batch of aid supplies from the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) arrived in Mandalay, the epicenter of Myanmar's recent 7.9-magnitude earthquake, on Wednesday, according to the RCSC.

The supplies include over 4,900 relief items such as tents, blankets, folding beds, and family kits to support the affected households. The Myanmar Red Cross will distribute these items with assistance from an RCSC rescue team, which had previously entered Myanmar and is also helping set up shelters.

Following the deadly quake on March 28, the RCSC promptly donated 1.5 million yuan (about $208,900) in emergency funding. At the request of Myanmar, the RCSC dispatched relief supplies to the disaster-stricken area and deployed a rescue team to the epicenter to conduct humanitarian operations.

Currently, 15 RCSC rescuers in Mandalay are conducting search-and-rescue operations, providing medical assistance and psychological support to those in need.

Hundreds of professionally trained Chinese volunteers have arrived in Mandalay to participate in the rescue efforts, after a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28. They are racing against time to save lives despite facing numerous obstacles, including local high temperatures that reach up to 40 C during the day. Follow China Daily for the latest updates of the Myanmar earthquake relief.

YANGON -- The death toll from Friday's 7.9-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar has risen to 2,886, with 4,639 injured and 373 still missing, according to the State Administration Council information team on Wednesday.

Myo Nyunt, president of the Myanmar Red Cross Society, told Xinhua earlier that key challenges in the current rescue operations included disaster assessment and logistics coordination.

Due to safety concerns in the affected areas, rescue teams have faced significant difficulties in distributing supplies, with a particular shortage of heavy machinery, Myo Nyunt said.

YANGON -- The Chinese Embassy in Myanmar has delivered cash assistance worth 1.5 million yuan ($206,700) to the Myanmar Red Cross Society.

Minister Counselor Cao Jing met here on Tuesday with Myo Nyunt, president of the Myanmar Red Cross Society, and handed over the cash aid offered by the Red Cross Society of China.

Cao said that China expresses sincere condolences to the Myanmar government and people for the casualties and property losses caused by Friday's 7.9-magnitude earthquake.

The Chinese government has decided to provide 100 million yuan of emergency humanitarian earthquake relief assistance to Myanmar, as numerous Chinese rescue teams have been working in the quake-affected areas, according to Cao.

"The assistance from the Red Cross Society of China once again demonstrates the profound friendship of the Chinese people towards the Myanmar people," Cao noted.

Myo Nyunt thanked the Chinese side for coming to the aid immediately and extending a helping hand to the Myanmar people.

The Myanmar Red Cross Society is willing to make joint efforts with China to overcome difficulties and rebuild its homeland as soon as possible, said Myo Nyunt. (1 yuan equals 0.14 US dollars)

The Dehong Dai and Jingpo autonomous prefecture in Southwest China's Yunnan province donated a batch of medical supplies worth more than 240,000 yuan (around $33,011.76) on Tuesday to support earthquake relief work in Myanmar.

Upon arriving in Yangon, Myanmar, on Sunday evening, I rushed to Mandalay overnight with the Chinese Red Cross International Emergency Response Team that was carrying supplies.

The bus was loaded with supplies donated by Chinese social organizations. Among them were three large packages wrapped in woven bags placed in the aisles between seats.

I asked what they were and got a chilling answer that brought home the serious nature of the disaster: body bags.

After a night of rough travel, the team arrived in the city around 8 am on Monday.

It took about 14 hours on the road. I heard from the locals that it usually takes half that time to make the journey.

Many main roads were closed, so we had to take detours, and we were stopped and questioned several times by checkpoints set up by the government army.

As we approached Mandalay, the destruction of dwellings along the way increased.

In the city, most residential houses had some kind of damage. Many buildings were in danger of collapse, and lots of residents were camping on the roadside or on sports fields.

After arriving, the team members immediately started rescue work without taking a rest.

I was wearing a Chinese Red Cross rescue uniform, and went around taking photos with the guidance of a local overseas Chinese volunteer.

The feedback from local people was very positive. Some shop owners offered free drinking water, some greeted us in Chinese saying "Nihao", while others smiled and said "China" while giving a thumbs-up.

I met an overseas Chinese whose house — a four-story building — collapsed in the earthquake, with only remnants of the top floor.

Upon seeing me, he tentatively asked if the rescue team could help retrieve some important items, including identification cards, that were buried in the rubble. The team leader promised to later find time to help him.

On the first day in Mandalay, the most challenging aspect was the high temperature, with a maximum temperature of 42 C.

Even at noon, the hottest part of the day, the rescue work never stopped.

After returning to their makeshift base at a sports hall, the Chinese rescuers immediately took off their uniforms and lay on the ground.

This trip to Myanmar was the first international rescue mission of the team I had accompanied.

I was deeply moved by the humanitarian spirit and professional capabilities of the team members, who are all from Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

Among the 15 members, there is one female member, Chen Ying. She has been engaged in rescue work for 10 years and is responsible for logistics, psychological counseling, and medical assistance on this trip.

Facing my interview camera, she said, "As a member of the Red Cross, our original intention has long surpassed life itself. I hope everyone stays safe."

Zhang Xiaomin contributed to this story.

An elderly woman was successfully rescued by a Chinese rescue team from under hospital rubble in Myanmar's capital, Nay Pyi Daw, on Sunday morning, nearly 40 hours after the magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck on Friday.

"When she was carried onto a stretcher by rescuers, everyone on the scene was excited," said Mu Shuyuan, from China's Yunnan province rescue and medical team.

The 37-member team was the first international one to arrive at the earthquake-stricken area. Eighteen of the team members are from China Railway No 2 Engineering Group's National Tunnel Emergency Rescue Team based in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan. They are responsible for rescue efforts, while the others take care of medical needs and help with disease prevention.

Carrying emergency rescue supplies, including life detection equipment, an earthquake early-warning system and portable satellite equipment, the team arrived at Yangon International Airport on Saturday morning.

Upon landing, they immediately joined forces with the Myanmar fire and rescue department, and after traveling for more than nine hours reached severely affected areas in Nay Pyi Daw.

"Without taking a break, we brought demolition tools and communication equipment to the designated location, and quickly engaged in rescue work," said Mu, leader of the rescue squad.

At Ottara Thiri Private Hospital, a three-story building was severely damaged, with the ground floor completely collapsed.

Using a sign of life detector, Mu's squad located a survivor trapped under the collapsed floor.

His deputy Xiao Min crawled in front of a crevice in the rubble, shone a flashlight in the space and called out loudly in Mandarin with a Guizhou accent, "Don't be afraid. We are here to rescue you!"

Realizing there was a language barrier, Xiao immediately called for a translator. The translator was able to communicate the message, and a hoarse response was heard emanating from deep within the debris.

A 73-year-old woman, who had previously undergone brain surgery and returned to the hospital for a checkup, was trapped in a narrow space between the second and first floors, alongside bodies of the deceased.

Due to the complex environment, they devised a rescue plan along with local emergency workers.

"During the rescue process, we not only had to consider that drilling vibrations might cause concrete blocks to fall, causing secondary harm to the trapped individuals, but we also had to be vigilant about aftershocks and the risk of collapse," Xiao said.

After drilling two access holes, one running horizontally and the other vertically, they still could not reach the woman. They then drilled a third hole, which enabled them to remove the bodies of two deceased people on top of the woman.

At 4:56 am on Sunday, after being trapped for nearly 40 hours, she was successfully rescued.

"Make sure to lift steadily and slowly," Xiao repeatedly instructed those carrying the stretcher. When she was safely placed in an ambulance, he let out a sigh of relief.

Heartfelt gratitude

After saving the woman, Mu led the squad to the main building of the hospital, where a trembling elderly man grabbed his wrist and spoke in a croaky voice to him.

Translators and local firefighters informed Mu that the man was a relative of a victim whose body had been retrieved from the debris.

Despite the outcome not being as desired, he expressed deep gratitude for the hard work of the rescue team.

"Although we couldn't understand each other's languages, his emotions and sincerity deeply touched us," Mu said.

On Sunday morning, Myanmar's leader Min Aung Hlaing visited the hospital and expressed heartfelt gratitude to the entire Yunnan rescue and medical team for their prompt arrival in Myanmar for rescue operations.

Medical team member He Jibo communicated and coordinated with accompanying Myanmar health officials. He said that they were very concerned about the occurrence and spread of infectious diseases due to poor hygiene.

The Chinese team will work with Myanmar's health department and disease control center to further clarify post-disaster health and epidemic prevention needs, He said.

"The rescue operation in the quake-hit area faces various difficulties. Myanmar, both officially and privately, is deeply moved by China's immediate mobilization for disaster relief," said Chin Myint, managing director of Yangon-based Myanmar Weimin Energy Technology Co.

"As far as I know, the number of Chinese rescuers who arrived in Mandalay has exceeded 300," he said on Monday.

Chin said he was on a business trip to Mandalay on Friday when he felt the strong earthquake while checking into his hotel.

He said he immediately went to the hardest-hit area of the city to assist front-line rescue workers and also participated in fundraising for the victims and survivors. "We need to do our best. The buildings have collapsed, but we cannot let hope collapse as well," he said.

Responsible neighbor

The Yunnan rescue and medical team was joined in Myanmar by a Hong Kong search and rescue team, the China Search and Rescue Team, the China International Search and Rescue Team, as well as various civilian rescue forces from different parts of the mainland.

The Chinese Red Cross International Emergency Response Team traveled to Mandalay, where its 15 team members were involved in search and rescue efforts, care and transfer of survivors, medical assistance, and provided psychological counseling.

On Sunday, while preparing for departure at Kunming airport, they encountered a middle-aged Myanmar overseas Chinese named Sein Yee, who cried with excitement upon seeing the team.

Sein had planned to fly back to Mandalay from Mangshi of Dehong Dai and Jingpo autonomous prefecture, Yunnan, on Friday. Due to the earthquake, the flight was canceled so she transferred to Kunming.

"On one hand, I was moved because we were in distress, and China promptly came to our rescue," she said. "On the other hand, seeing the disaster scenes sent by friends after the earthquake made me very sad."

"My heart has been aching, hoping more people are rescued as soon as possible," she said.

Ma Yong, a researcher at the Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences, said that China and Myanmar form a community with a shared future. The two countries share "weal and woe", bound by a profound pauk-phaw ("fraternal" in the Myanmar language) friendship between their peoples.

"True solidarity shines brightest in times of adversity," Ma said. "Upon learning of the devastating earthquake in Myanmar, the Chinese government immediately extended assistance, with Chinese rescue teams being the first to arrive on the scene.

"They swiftly engaged in relief operations and announced humanitarian aid. The rapid and efficient involvement of Chinese rescue forces has helped people in Myanmar fight the disaster. This has further strengthened the 'heart-to-heart connectivity' between the peoples of China and Myanmar."

Ran Aobo, a researcher at Tsinghua University's Institute for Urban Governance and Sustainable Development, said China, as a responsible big country, had sent emergency response teams multiple times to other countries for disaster relief work.

China is a participant in Integrated Research on Disaster Risk, an international scientific program co-sponsored by the International Science Council and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, he added.

"China has a strong capability and willingness to enhance international cooperation in disaster relief," he said, adding that the country leverages its expertise in technical training and data sharing.

As Myanmar is an important neighbor, China's actions are also proof of the two countries' long-lasting friendship, he added.

Chen Meiling contributed to this story.

MANDALAY, Myanmar -- Chinese rescue teams are continuing to work in the hard-hit Mandalay in central Myanmar following the 7.9-magnitude temblor last week, and have so far saved eight survivors as of 08:00 local time on Tuesday in the country.

The China Search and Rescue Team saved four survivors, the Yunnan Rescue Medical Team rescued one survivor, and other civil emergency forces rescued three and assisted the China Search and Rescue Team.

To coordinate the Chinese rescue teams in Mandalay, a rescue work mechanism was established to enhance information sharing and joint logistics to ensure the quality and effectiveness of their rescue work.

Currently, the weather in Mandalay is hot, with the highest daytime temperature topping 40 degrees Celsius, and there are many mosquitoes at the work sites.

Meanwhile, experts from the Chinese Search and Rescue Team have completed the safety assessment of the damage to the four office buildings of the Chinese Consulate General in Mandalay, and offered proposals on emergency disposal.

YANGON -- Myanmar observed a one-minute silence on Tuesday to honor the victims of the devastating earthquake that has claimed over 2,000 lives.

At precisely 12:51:02 local time, the moment the 7.9-magnitude quake struck near Mandalay, sirens rang out across the nation in remembrance of those lost.

Myanmar announced on Monday a week-long mourning period following a 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28.

As of 8 am local time on Tuesday in Myanmar, Chinese official and civil rescue teams have rescued a total of eight people following the 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck on Friday, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.

On Monday, the rescue team from Hong Kong SAR and the China International Search and Rescue Team met with China Search and Rescue Team.

To coordinate the efforts of the Chinese rescue teams in Myanmar, the ministry has established a unified rescue mechanism. This includes joint meetings, information sharing, coordinated rescue operations and shared logistical support, aiming at enhancing collaboration between the various teams and ensuring the effectiveness of the rescue operations, the ministry said.

Currently, the disaster area is experiencing hot weather, with daytime temperatures exceeding 40C. The rescue sites are also infested with mosquitoes. In response, the Chinese rescue teams are adhering to a rotational shift system for team members, and sanitation measures for personnel and equipment are strictly followed, according to the ministry.

Disinfection is conducted regularly within and around the campsite to maintain hygiene and ensure epidemic prevention safety, the ministry added.

Additionally, earthquake engineering experts have completed a safety assessment of the damage to four office buildings at the Chinese consulate general in Mandalay and have provided targeted emergency response recommendations.

Rescue and medical teams from across the Asia-Pacific region are continuing relief and search operations in Myanmar, helping the nation recover from Friday's devastating magnitude 7.9 earthquake.

The disaster killed 2,056 people in Myanmar as of noon on Monday, injured about 3,900, with 270 missing, and sent violent tremors to nearby Thailand.

India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam sent emergency response teams to Myanmar soon after the quake, while the Philippine disaster response team will arrive on Tuesday.

Japan has dispatched an assessment team and will provide emergency relief supplies to those affected by the earthquake through the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Timor-Leste held an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss humanitarian aid to Myanmar.

They agreed to strengthen relief and recovery efforts through the ASEAN Standby Arrangements and member states' contributions.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, this year's rotating chair of ASEAN, conveyed Malaysia's condolences and pledged to distribute 10 million ringgit ($2.25 million) in humanitarian aid to Myanmar citizens affected by the tragedy.

In a message posted to his social media account Sunday, Anwar said he had directed Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan to lead a humanitarian mission to Myanmar this week. He had also called Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to express his deepest condolences and sympathy, Anwar said.

In the Thai capital of Bangkok, the death toll has hit 19, rescuers said on Monday.

The earthquake — measured as a magnitude 7.9 by the China Earthquake Network Center and a magnitude 7.7 by US authorities — is the strongest the region has experienced in nearly 200 years. The last temblor of a similar scale was recorded in the 1830s.

India said it had dispatched 15 metric tons of relief items by aircraft to Yangon, including ready-to-eat meals, blankets and generator sets. Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi had also sent four naval ships with relief supplies.

Australia will provide an initial A$2 million ($1.25 million) to Myanmar through the International Committee of the Red Cross, or ICRC. The funding will help the ICRC carry out immediate lifesaving support, such as addressing emergency medical needs.

Canberra also welcomed the release of $5 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund to support urgent needs such as shelter, food and water.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said on Sunday that the kingdom would provide Myanmar with $100,000 in initial emergency assistance.

The United Arab Emirates also has expressed its sympathies and solidarity with the governments and peoples of Myanmar and Thailand, and the families of the victims.

In a statement on Saturday, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari offered condolences for the loss of human lives and affirmed support for those affected.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also offered Pakistan's assistance to Myanmar and Thailand, saying "our thoughts and prayers are with the people of both countries as they pass through this difficult time".

Cui Haipei in Dubai, Jiang Xueqing in Tokyo, Xin Xin in Sydney and Xu Weiwei in Hong Kong contributed to this story.

prime@chinadailyapac.com

When a powerful 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, Cao Lei, a Myanmar language teacher in China, quickly volunteered to translate distress messages, helping relay critical information to rescue teams.

"After the earthquake, many Chinese rescue workers struggled to quickly and accurately understand Myanmar language distress messages from those affected in Myanmar," said Cao, who teaches at Tianjin Foreign Studies University. "Prompt translation improves rescue efficiency and helps victims escape more swiftly."

In response, Myanmar language students and faculty from Beijing Language and Culture University formed an emergency language service group. They translated online distress messages into Chinese, marked key details on a map and shared it with rescue teams.

Cao joined the effort, volunteering with the Zhuoming Disaster Information Service Center to provide translation, information verification and resource coordination.

Over the weekend, he worked more than 32 hours. On Monday, after finishing his morning class, he resumed searching for and translating information online. He monitored Myanmar language reports from BBC and Voice of America, as well as Burmese media outlets like DVB and Eleven.com. He also scoured social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and X, translating key updates into Chinese for the center.

The center processed the information and immediately relayed it to front-line Chinese rescue teams.

"The first day, I translated up to 100 messages for rescue and earthquake response points," Cao said. "Then from 8 am Sunday, I worked until 2 am Monday because we needed to grasp the 'golden 72 hours' for earthquake rescue."

Despite being thousands of kilometers away, Cao said he deeply empathizes with those seeking help, feeling their anxiety as he reads each message while translating.

"Initially, requests for assistance mainly came from commercial buildings and private residences in Mandalay, Myanmar. Later, there were also numerous requests from schools and temples. I have been racing against time to quickly and accurately convey these life-or-death messages," he said.

Before joining the university in 2013, Cao worked for four years on a hydropower project in Myanmar with a Chinese enterprise. He said the experience gave him a deep understanding of the country and a strong connection with its people.

"The earthquake has put countless lives at risk," he said. "As an educator who has worked in Myanmar and has taught the Myanmar language for many years, I feel a profound responsibility to help."

By Monday morning, China had sent several rescue teams to Myanmar, and Chinese rescuers had saved six people from quake-damaged areas.

yangcheng@chinadaily.com.cn

Multiple rescue teams from China have rescued six survivors, including a pregnant woman, in earthquake-hit Myanmar as of 8 am local time on Monday, as the first group of emergency humanitarian aid from China arrived in the Southeast Asian country.

The magnitude 7.9 earthquake, which struck Myanmar on Friday, has resulted in 2,056 deaths and more than 3,900 injuries, and over 270 people were still missing as of Monday night, according to the country's state television channel MRTV.

Meanwhile, three Chinese citizens were killed and 14 injured in the massive earthquake as of 5 pm local time, Chinese embassy in Myanmar said.

According to the Ministry of Emergency Management, the China Search and Rescue Team arrived in the hard-hit city of Mandalay on Sunday afternoon local time and immediately sent an advance unit to conduct on-site assessments and rescue operations.

At 12:40 am on Monday, the team rescued a woman near a hotel. In addition, the CSRT and China's Zhejiang Rescue Team of Ramunion, a civilian rescue organization, worked together to rescue three trapped women near an apartment building in Mandalay on Monday morning.

The rescued individuals were transported to medical facilities for treatment, and rescue efforts were still ongoing, the Ministry of Emergency Management said in a news release.

In addition, an elderly man who had been trapped for nearly 40 hours under the rubble of a hospital in Nay Pyi Daw on Sunday was rescued by a team from Southwest China's Yunnan province, Xinhua News Agency reported. Also on Sunday, members of the Blue Sky Rescue Team from Hunan province rescued a survivor at Mandalay Buddhist Hall.

According to the Ministry of Emergency Management, a total of 91 members from five social emergency response teams organized by the ministry have arrived in Myanmar and are participating in or assisting with the rescue operations.

Following assessments, the CSRT established a campsite in an open area near the Chinese consulate-general in Mandalay on Sunday night.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's Security Bureau said on social media on Monday that a Hong Kong rescue team had just arrived in the disaster-stricken area of Mandalay and immediately joined the CSRT for a briefing on the local disaster situation.

The team, which was equipped with professional gear and search and rescue dogs, then coordinated with the CSRT and conducted search and rescue operations in two affected areas in Mandalay, the Security Bureau said.

On Monday, the first shipment of emergency humanitarian earthquake relief supplies provided by the Chinese government arrived in Yangon, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a regular news conference, adding that the Red Cross Society of China had also provided relief supplies.

The relief supplies included 1,200 tents, 8,000 blankets and over 40,000 first aid kits, according to the China International Development Cooperation Agency.

On Saturday, the Chinese government announced the provision of 100 million yuan ($14 million) in emergency humanitarian aid to Myanmar.

Guo said that after the earthquake, China quickly activated its emergency mechanism to carry out rescue and consular protection efforts.

"The Yunnan rescue medical team arrived in Myanmar 18 hours after the earthquake, becoming the first international rescue team to enter the earthquake-hit area, and successfully rescued a trapped victim in cooperation with local rescue forces," he said.

In addition to several official rescue teams, civilian rescue forces from various parts of China have already entered or are entering Myanmar, Guo said.

"Currently, about 400 Chinese earthquake experts and rescue and medical personnel are participating in the earthquake relief efforts across Myanmar," the spokesman said.

China will work with Myanmar to overcome difficulties, make the most of the 72-hour window to rescue survivors, treat the injured, and deliver aid supplies to the disaster victims, he said.

"We believe that with the support of the international community, the government and people of Myanmar will be able to unite and overcome the disaster, and rebuild their homes."

South Asian nations extended condolences and offered assistance to Myanmar and Thailand, joining moves by several other countries around the world particularly China, in showing solidarity following the devastating March 28 earthquake.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, in a statement on March 29, commiserated the loss of human lives and affirmed support to those affected by the disaster.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also offered Pakistan's assistance to Myanmar and Thailand, saying "our thoughts and prayers are with the people of both countries as they pass through this difficult time".

"Pakistan stands in solidarity with Thailand and Myanmar, offers our support and wishes them strength, safety, and a swift recovery from this catastrophe," Sharif said in a message posted on social media platform X.

Pakistan's foreign ministry said earlier that Pakistani embassies in Yangon and Bangkok are fully operational to assist Pakistani nationals. The government set up a crisis management unit to assist Pakistanis affected by the quake.

Myanmar is still reeling from the powerful earthquake that struck the country at 12.51 pm local time on March 28, with rescue and relief efforts ongoing. As of March 30, the death toll from the quake passed 1,700 in the country, with thousands injured and hundreds missing. The toll could rise further as search efforts are continuing at many structures that have been destroyed.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Thailand, rescuers in Bangkok are still searching the rubble at the site of a collapsed high-rise building that was under construction in the capital city. At least 11 people, believed to be construction workers, have been confirmed dead while dozens remain missing at the site.

Following the devastating earthquake, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Myanmar's leader Min Aung Hlaing on the morning of March 29. "Conveyed our deep condolences at the loss of lives in the devastating earthquake," Modi said in a post on X. "As a close friend and neighbor, India stands in solidarity with the people of Myanmar in this difficult hour".

In a rapid response to the calamity, India launched "Operation Brahma", a rescue and relief effort to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to victims of the disaster.

Local media reported that India dispatched 15 metric tons of relief material by aircraft to Yangon, including essential supplies such as tents, sleeping bags, blankets, ready-to-eat meals and generator sets.

According to an Indian foreign ministry spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, New Delhi sent two naval ships with relief supplies to Myanmar, with the vessels set to arrive in Yangon on March 31. Another two will follow to strengthen the aid.

Besides, the Indian army will establish a 60-bed medical treatment center to provide immediate care to those injured. The facility will be capable of handling trauma cases, emergency surgeries, and essential medical services to support the local healthcare system, which has been severely strained by the disaster, the ministry said in a statement.

The statement added that the deployment has been coordinated closely with the foreign ministry and in partnership with authorities in Myanmar.

Besides, India on March 29 dispatched an 80-member National Disaster Response Force team for specialist search and rescue efforts in the quake-affected region of Nay Pyi Taw.

Among other South Asian nations, Maldives is working through its embassy in Thailand to guarantee the safety of its citizens in the region.

According to Maldives' foreign ministry, one of the areas most severely affected by the earthquake in Myanmar is an area where a large number of Maldivians live. Based on the information received so far, Maldivians living in Thailand are reported to be safe, the ministry said in a statement.

Meanwhile, a statement by the Sri Lankan foreign ministry said that Sri Lanka stands in solidarity with those affected by the earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand.

"Our sincere condolences to those that have lost loved ones and we wish those that have suffered injuries a speedy recovery," it said.

The ministry added that Sri Lankans in Thailand and Myanmar are requested to remain vigilant and be in touch with respective Sri Lankan embassies in the quake-affected nations.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday that the Chinese rescue forces have saved six people in earthquake-hit Myanmar, vowing that China will do its best to search and rescue the survivors, treat the injured, and ensure that aid supplies reach those affected in the disaster zone.

"After the earthquake, China immediately launched the emergency response mechanism and has done everything possible to provide emergency services and consular protection," Guo told a daily news briefing.

As of now, Guo said around 400 Chinese personnel, including experts, rescuers and medical workers, have been assisting in the disaster relief efforts in various places in Myanmar.

China has also sent a first batch of relief supplies worth 100 million yuan ($13.78 million) to Myanmar, including tents, first aid kits, food and drinking water, he added.

Guo expressed the belief that with the support of the international community, the government and people of Myanmar will be united as one and rise above the disaster and rebuild their homes.

MANDALAY, Myanmar -- Myanmar's State Administration Council Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on Monday announced a week-long mourning period following a 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28.

In recognition of and sympathy for the damage and loss of lives caused by the earthquake, the period from March 31 to April 6 has been declared as national mourning days. During this time, the national flag will be flown at half-mast, he said.

According to Myanmar's State Administration Council on Sunday, about 1,700 people died, 3,400 were injured, and 300 remained missing in the massive earthquake.

Chinese rescue teams have successfully rescued six people in the earthquake-hit area of Mandalay in Myanmar, China's Ministry of Emergency Management said on Monday morning.

The Chinese teams have been conducting ongoing rescue operations in the severely affected city. As of 8 am local time on Monday, they have successfully rescued six survivors, including three adult women, one of whom is pregnant, and a young girl.

Rescue operations are still underway, and the rescued individuals have been transported to medical facilities for treatment, the Ministry of Emergency Management said in a news release on Monday morning.

At 12:40 am on Monday, China Search and Rescue Team rescued an adult woman who was trapped, marking the first survivor rescued by the team.

Between 5 am and 7 am, the team, in collaboration with the China's Zhejiang Rescue Team of Ramunion, a civilian rescue organization, rescued three trapped women.

According to the Ministry of Emergency Management, a total of 91 members from five social emergency response teams organized by the ministry have arrived in Myanmar and are participating in or assisting with the rescue operations.

Following assessments, the team established a campsite on an open area near the Chinese consulate general in Mandalay on Sunday night.

KUNMING -- Southwest China's Yunnan province sent more relief supplies worth 1 million yuan (about $139,310) to Myanmar on Monday after a massive earthquake struck the Southeast Asian country last Friday.

The supplies, including facial masks, protective clothing and medicines, will be delivered from the provincial capital Kunming to Nay Pyi Taw on Monday afternoon.

The first batch of 80 tents and 290 blankets was sent by the province, which borders Myanmar, to the quake-hit country via air on Saturday. On Sunday, a chartered flight carrying about 7.3 tonnes of relief goods, including clothes, medicines, instant noodles, tents and other daily necessities, departed from Kunming to Myanmar.

Earlier on Saturday, a 37-member rescue team from Yunnan province arrived in Myanmar, before more rescuers rushed there to assist in disaster relief and rescue efforts. So far, they have rescued several survivors, including a pregnant woman.

About 1,700 people have died, 3,400 were injured, and 300 remain missing in the massive earthquake in Myanmar, according to Myanmar's State Administration Council on Sunday.

YANGON -- The first batch of disaster-relief material offered by the Chinese government arrived in Myanmar on Monday.

MANDALAY, Myanmar -- Myanmar's Department of Meteorology and Hydrology reported on Monday that 36 aftershocks, with magnitudes ranging from 2.8 to 7.5, have occurred as of Monday morning.

The aftershocks followed a devastating 7.9-magnitude earthquake that jolted Myanmar at 12:51 pm local time last Friday.

Xinhua contributed to the story.

YANGON -- Friday's 7.9-magnitude earthquake killed one Chinese national and injured 15 other Chinese citizens in Myanmar, the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar confirmed on Monday.

The Chinese diplomatic missions in Myanmar have been assisting the families of the victims, according to the embassy.

Myanmar's authorities said on Sunday that the death toll of the earthquake has risen to about 1,700.

BEIJING -- China's first batch of emergency humanitarian earthquake relief supplies to Myanmar departed from Beijing Capital International Airport on Monday morning.

In response to a request from the Myanmar government, China has decided to provide Myanmar with 100 million yuan ($13.9 million) in emergency humanitarian aid to support earthquake relief efforts.

According to the China International Development Cooperation Agency, the initial supplies include tents, blankets and first aid kits.

Countries and international communities including China, the United Nations and ASEAN are delivering aid to Myanmar while foreign rescue teams are racing to save more lives from among the ruins in Myanmar following Friday's powerful earthquakes.

As of Sunday, rescue and medical teams from countries such as Belarus, Singapore, India, Malaysia and Thailand have been at work in Myanmar searching for survivors.

About 1,700 people died, 3,400 were injured, and 300 remained missing in the earthquake in Myanmar, according to the country's State Administration Council on Sunday. The numbers could rise further.

Fourteen Chinese nationals were injured in the quake in Myanmar, the Chinese embassy in Myanmar confirmed on Sunday afternoon.

At least three rescue teams from the Chinese mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region have managed to locate some of the injured at collapsed buildings in Myanmar. A 79-member military task force from Vietnam also departed for Myanmar on Sunday afternoon to assist with earthquake search and rescue operations, and post-disaster recovery efforts, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

Myanmar's State Administration Council Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing visited Ottara Thiri Private Hospital in Nay Pyi Daw, the Myanmar capital, on Sunday and thanked a Chinese rescue team from Yunnan province which was the first to arrive among international teams for rescue efforts. The council has called for international assistance for disaster relief.

The World Health Organization is looking to move Emergency Medical Teams into Myanmar amid reports of insufficient medical supplies, including trauma kits to treat injured people, blood bags for transfusion, anesthetics, assisted devices, other essential medicines, and tents for health workers.

In a statement on Saturday, Marcoluigi Corsi, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Myanmar, said the UN and its partners are urgently mobilizing to support emergency response efforts and stand ready to assist all affected communities.

He estimated that around 20 million people have been impacted by the quake.

The United Nations allocated $5 million in aid to Myanmar, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general.

The Secretary-General of ASEAN, Kao Kim Hourn, joined ASEAN foreign ministers and the foreign minister of Timor-Leste in a special emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss ASEAN's humanitarian aid to Myanmar in the wake of the devastating earthquake.

Emergency assistance

Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said on Sunday that the kingdom would provide $100,000 in initial emergency assistance to Myanmar.

With its epicenter about 392 kilometers from Pang Mapha district in Thailand's Mae Hong Son Province, the earthquake — measured 7.9-magnitude by the China Earthquake Network Center and 7.7-magnitude by US counterparts — also affected Thailand and other neighboring countries. The last earthquake of a similar scale in the region was recorded in the 1830s.

Bangkok and 10 other provinces suffered severe damage. In Thailand, at least 17 people were killed with 77 missing.

Thai Department of Fine Arts said on Sunday that its Archaeological Division conducted inspections at historical sites in Bangkok and found no significant damage caused by the earthquake. But some historical sites in northern Thailand suffered cracks in the walls or bases of halls and stupas.

After the earthquake, the King of Thailand extended royal medical care to all the injured. Thai state banks have rolled out urgent financial relief measures to help citizens and affected businesses.

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra held an urgent meeting on Saturday to address the earthquake's impact and coordinate solutions, urging immediate improvement of public alerts via SMS and the development of a cell broadcast system within three months.

Paetongtarn urged enhanced coordination between the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department and the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission to provide timely updates on road closures and alternative routes.

To ensure public safety after the earthquake, a complete list of emergency hotlines has been compiled by the Thai government. These fully operational services cover rescue, medical, structural damage, mental health, and travel needs, and are coordinated across government agencies.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake was triggered by horizontal slipping of land, known as "strike-slip "faults. The agency noted that this fault type is the same as the one responsible for the powerful earthquake in the Kumamoto prefecture of southwestern Japan in 2016, the public broadcaster NHK reported.

The government of Japan dispatched an assessment team to Myanmar on Sunday through the Japan International Cooperation Agency, or JICA, in response to the massive damage in Myanmar caused by Friday's earthquake. The team of five members including medical personnel will monitor needs and the security situation on the ground, and coordinate the possible dispatch of a Japan Disaster Relief team.

Japan has also decided to provide emergency relief goods including basic necessities to those who are affected by the earthquake through JICA, according to Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In Jakarta on Sunday, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno said the Indonesian government had decided to deploy a preliminary team on Monday to Myanmar by using a commercial flight, Antara News Agency reported.

On Tuesday, a search and rescue team will fly to Myanmar aboard military aircraft, followed by an emergency medical team along with consignments of logistical assistance to be deployed from the Halim Perdanakusuma Airbase in Jakarta on April 3.

The minister pointed out that the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) had been assigned to prepare and distribute aid packages, while the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basasrnas) is asked to assist evacuation, and the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) provides operational and security support.

Furthermore, the Health Ministry is set to send medics and medicines, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will establish coordination with the Myanmar government to obtain permits for the mission.

New Zealand said it will donate 2 million New Zealand dollars ($1.14 million) through the International Red Cross to support emergency response in Myanmar.

Jiang Xueqing in Tokyo contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at yangwanli@chinadaily.com.cn.

MANDALAY, Myanmar -- Chinese rescuers pulled out a pregnant survivor in quake-hit Myanmar city Mandalay on Monday morning.

The China Search and Rescue Team and a civilian rescue team of RAMUNION RESCUE joined their efforts in the above-mentioned rescue mission, Yue Xin, a squad leader of the China Search and Rescue Team, told Xinhua at the rescue site in a residential area of the city.

He said the Chinese rescuers braved several after-shocks during this rescue mission. A 7.9-magnitude tremor that struck Myanmar last Friday caused severe damage to the building, from which the survivor was pulled out, he added.

"We hope to bring hope for more lives here," Yue said.

The China Search and Rescue Team recovered another survivor in Mandalay on Monday. The team arrived in the city late on Sunday.

MANDALAY, Myanmar -- China Search and Rescue Team successfully recovered a female survivor at the Great Wall Hotel quake site in Mandalay city, Myanmar, early on Monday.

The Chinese rescue team rescued the survivor after more than five hours of intense work. The survivor had been trapped for nearly 60 hours and had good vital signs when rescued.

This was the first survivor rescued by China Search and Rescue Team after they arrived in the hard-hit Mandalay city late on Sunday.

Another Chinese rescue team from Yunnan on Sunday morning rescued a survivor in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar's capital city, which was also severely-affected in Friday's earthquake.

NAY PYI TAW, Myanmar -- A total of 118 members of the China International Search and Rescue Team (CISAR) arrived in Nay Pyi Daw, Myanmar, on Sunday night.

The team consists of earthquake experts, structural engineers, search and rescue workers, medical personnel, and canine units. They are equipped with life detectors, demolition equipment, and field hospital systems.

Established in 2001, the CISAR is a United Nations-certified heavy-duty rescue team that has participated in over 20 international missions.

According to Myanmar's State Administration Council on Sunday, about 1,700 people died, 3,400 were injured, and 300 remained missing in a massive 7.9-magnitude earthquake that hit the country on Friday.