India's Swift Response Under Operation Brahma: Aiding Earthquake-Stricken Myanmar

A specialised Indian rescue team has deployed to Myanmar under Operation Brahma following a major earthquake. The 118-member contingent brings medical and communication expertise. Efforts focus on Mandalay for rapid response. The quake has devastated Myanmar, with casualties potentially exceeding 10,000.

Responding to the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar, India has launched Operation Brahma, deploying a specialised rescue team from the 50 (I) Para Brigade on Saturday. The contingent of 118 personnel, equipped with medical and communication units, landed in Myanmar to spearhead relief efforts under the command of the 50 (I) Para Brigade leader.

The rescue operation was initiated after the team touched down at Naypyitaw International Airport, receiving a warm welcome from the Indian Ambassador to Myanmar and the local Defense and Naval Attaches. Critical supplies were efficiently unloaded, and the team quickly moved to a strategic harbour area near the airport.

Reconnaissance operations kickstarted on Sunday in Mandalay, established as the primary operational hub. While aerial deployment remains crucial, road-based strategies are being evaluated. The Indian contingent's priority is to establish a 60-bed Medical Treatment Centre to aid the strained local health infrastructure, focusing on trauma care and emergency surgeries.

In collaboration with the National Disaster Response Force, additional personnel and vital relief supplies were dispatched, with efforts driven by rising casualties in Myanmar. The death toll has tragically surpassed 1,600, according to local reports, with estimates suggesting it could escalate to over 10,000 in the coming days.

(With inputs from agencies.)