KUALA LUMPUR: The Special Malaysian Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) has arrived in Myanmar on two air force A400M aircraft to contribute to the Myanmar earthquake rescue efforts.
The flights, which also carried a National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) team and equipment, arrived at the Nay Pyi Taw International Airport in Myanmar on Sunday (March 30).
Nadma said that the first aircraft arrived at 11.36am while the second arrived at 2pm, after taking off at 9.30am and 10am respectively from the Subang air force base here.
“After arrival, they (the teams) will move to the operation area in Sagaing Division through a land route, which will take eight hours,” the agency said in a statement Sunday.
The 50-strong SMART is led by contingent commander Mohamad Hafiezul Abdul Halim and comprises 16 armed forces personnel, 13 police personnel and 21 fire and rescue department personnel.
As of Saturday, the number of casualties from the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that hit Myanmar stood at almost 2,000, with thousands more injured and at least hundreds missing. - Bernama
