ISLAMABAD: Pakistan dispatched 70 tons of relief goods to Myanmar on Tuesday, the foreign office said, as the military ruler of the Southeast Asian country warned the death toll from last week’s powerful earthquake was likely to exceed 3,000.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had spoken with Myanmar’s junta chief Min Aung Hlaing a day earlier, extending condolences over the loss of lives caused by the devastating 7.7-magnitude quake that struck on Friday.
During the call, Sharif assured the Myanmar leader that Pakistan would provide all possible assistance to help those affected by the disaster.
“In keeping with its commitment to international cooperation during times of crisis, Pakistan has dispatched 70 tons of relief supplies to Myanmar for those affected by the recent earthquakes,” the foreign office said in a statement.
“Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal saw off the first flight carrying 35 tons,” it added. “Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke with his Myanmar counterpart, expressing solidarity with the people of Myanmar and assuring them of all possible assistance in the wake of the disaster.”
Aid groups in Myanmar on Tuesday described scenes of devastation and desperation, warning of a narrowing window to find survivors.
Earlier today, the official death toll had reached 2,719, with 4,521 injured and 441 still missing. Myanmar’s military ruler in a televised address, said the toll was expected to surpass 3,000.
The quake, which struck at lunchtime on Friday, was the strongest to hit the Southeast Asian country in over a century. It caused extensive damage in the cities of Mandalay and Naypyitaw, flattening ancient pagodas and modern buildings alike.
In neighboring Thailand, at least 21 people were reported dead, and search operations continued in Bangkok for survivors in the rubble of a collapsed under-construction skyscraper.
UN agencies said hospitals in Myanmar were overwhelmed, with rescue efforts hampered by infrastructure damage and ongoing conflict. Aid workers also reported a severe shortage of food, water and shelter in the country.
With input from Reuters