Death toll rises to 1,644 in Myanmar earthquake

According to reports,the 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit the southeast Asian country on Friday, with Mandalay, Bago, Magway, the northeastern Shan state, Sagaing, and Nay Pyi Taw among the hardest-hit regions.

It should be noted that on Friday afternoon, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, and despite significant disruptions to transportation and communication systems, rescue operations are underway at full speed.

Following the earthquake near Sagaing, 12 aftershocks ranging from 2.8 to 7.5 in magnitude were felt, further worsening the situation in the affected areas.

The Myanmar government has declared a national emergency and the emergency teams are continuously working to assist those in need.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Myanmar's Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on Saturday. He stated that India stands in solidarity with the people of Myanmar during this challenging period.

Foreign Minister Jaishankar informed on Friday that two ships carrying 40 tons of aid material have departed for the neighboring country.

S. Jaishankar wrote, "Operation Brahma: INS Satpura and INS Savitri have set sail for Yangon port with 40 tons of humanitarian aid." In another tweet, he shared that an 80-member NDRF search and rescue team has also departed for Naypyidaw. These teams will assist in rescue operations in Myanmar.

Earlier on Saturday, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said in a post that as part of 'Operation Brahma,' India acted as the first responder to assist the people of Myanmar affected by Friday's devastating earthquake. "The first consignment of 15 tons of relief material, including tents, blankets, sleeping bags, food packets, hygiene kits, generators, and essential medicines, has reached Yangon."