Vietnam to assist Myanmar in quake relief, rescue

HANOI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam will deploy a 79-member military task force to assist with earthquake search and rescue operations, and post-disaster recovery efforts in Myanmar, Vietnam News Agency reported Saturday.

The team, organized by the Department of Rescue and Relief under the Ministry of Defense, is scheduled to depart for Myanmar on Sunday afternoon, the report said.

Earlier, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son extended condolences to Myanmar's Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Than Swe following the devastating earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday.