ASEAN urges all stakeholders in Myanmar to facilitate relief efforts amid devastating earthquake

Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) extended their deepest sympathies and condolences to the people of Myanmar and Thailand following a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on Friday.

Gathering on Sunday at a Special Emergency Meeting of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers via videoconference, the Southeast Asian bloc released a statement agreeing “to strengthen relief and recovery efforts through the ASEAN Standby Arrangements and ASEAN Member States' contribution.”

“The ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) is also deploying the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT) to support field-level operations and preparing the mobilization of ASEAN relief items through the Disaster Emergency Logistics System for ASEAN (DELSA),” the statement said.

It also announced that Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan will undertake a humanitarian visit to Myanmar on April 5 accompanied by his Thai counterpart Maris Sangiampongsa.

In Thailand, the death toll from the massive earthquake, which jolted the capital Bangkok, climbed to 17 with 32 people injured and 83 remaining missing.

Many officials were evacuated from Building A of the Government Complex in Bangkok on Monday morning after reports of shaking as an investigation by engineers continues.

At least one Chinese citizen has died and 15 were injured in the strong earthquake in Myanmar, according to the Chinese Embassy.

Major General Zaw Min Tun, a spokesman for Myanmar's military council, said in a statement that the death toll from the earthquake had risen to over 1,700, with more than 3,400 injured and over 300 missing, although there are fears that the toll could be higher.

International aid and rescue efforts continue to ramp up as Myanmar and Thailand recover.

Russia, India, China, Thailand, the UN and others have sent specialist search and rescue teams alongside tons of humanitarian aid.