Chinese rescue team arrives in Myanmar after strong earthquake

A Chinese rescue team arrived at Yangon International Airport in Myanmar on Saturday afternoon after a devastating earthquake struck the Southeast Asian country the day earlier, killing over 1,600 people.

The team, consisting of 82 members, was dispatched by Beijing at the request of the Myanmar government to assist in disaster relief efforts. They will head to the severely affected Mandalay region via vehicles.

Upon their arrival, the team will receive specific search and rescue tasks, conduct on-site assessments and select a safe and suitable location to set up their camp, team leader Zhao Ming told reporters.

The Chinese rescue team is a United Nations-certified heavy Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team, equipped with well-trained personnel and advanced resources. With extensive experience in conducting search and rescue missions abroad, the team is capable of operating simultaneously at two different sites.

The death toll in Myanmar following Friday's magnitude-7.7 earthquake climbed to 1,644, while 3,408 were injured and 139 remained missing as of Saturday evening, according to the information team of Myanmar's State Administration Council.