It is necessary to address emergency needs such as communications, electricity supply, and clean drinking water.
Vice-Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win, who is also the Chairman of the National Disaster Management Committee, attended the emergency coordination meeting of the National Disaster Management Committee yesterday morning at the meeting hall of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement in Nay Pyi Taw. During the meeting, he discussed the swift implementation of rescue and relief operations in earthquake-affected areas. In his opening address, the Vice-Senior General highlighted that in Sagaing Region, Mandalay Region, and Nay Pyi Taw Council Area, the damage and losses caused by the earthquake are more severe.
He recounted that the Chairman of the State Administration Council and Prime Minister inspected the damaged staff housings, the 1,000-bed general hospital, and bridges and roads within Nay Pyi Taw Council Area immediately after the incident on 28 March, giving necessary instructions. He has also travelled to Mandalay Region to provide guidance on urgent needs and to offer words of encouragement to quake-affected people.
He underscored that as of the time of this meeting, the death toll has reached 1,101, with a total of 2,644 injured. Since the initial earthquake, there have been 14 aftershocks recorded, ranging from a minimum of 2.8 to a maximum of 7.7 on the Richter scale. The tremours originated at a depth of approximately 10 miles, making them more intense and causing greater destruction and losses. As service personnel from the ministerial housings in Nay Pyi Taw Council Area move to safer places due to the impact of the earthquake, relevant Union Ministers have to give words of encouragement to the personnel. It is necessary to provide food and clean drinking and utility water.
The Disaster Management Centre has to ensure that international aid is delivered as quickly as possible to the necessary locations and distributed without delay. Relevant ministries should collect and fulfil the needs of staff in affected areas based on the current situation. Due to the destruction of public roads, bridges, and landslides causing transportation difficulties, both short-term and long-term plans should be implemented for rapid repairs. Emergency needs such as communications, electricity supply, and clean drinking water must be addressed.
Vice-Chair 2 Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr Soe Win, Union ministers and the Nay Pyi Taw Council Chairman discussed loss and damage in the earthquake, arrivals of rescue aeroplanes and supplies, setting the routes for the transport of rescue vehicles, renovation of the communication and transport facilities, loss and damage of staff housings, numbers of casualties of staff and families and the injured, allocation of the funds and further plans for relief and rehabilitation measures.
In his response, the Vice-Senior General discussed the construction of the tents for personnel from the relevant staff housings, daily supply of safe drinking water with the use of five water tankers, sales of vegetables and groceries by vehicle for staff, providing emergency cash assistance for staff and families, drawing the social security fund by NDMC for staff of the Ministry of Labour, rehabilitation measures, assistance for staff’s mental and physical strengthening, security measures, assignment of liaison officers for international aid teams to do smooth process in search and rescue operations, accommodation, rescue and distribution of medications to be coordinated with NDMC members.
The meeting was also attended by Council Secretary General Aung Lin Dwe, council members, Union ministers, the Nay Pyi Taw Council chairman, the commander of Nay Pyi Taw Command and deputy ministers. The Vice-Senior General inspected damage in the earthquake in Lewe and staff housing in Bala Theikdi Ward of Zabuthiri Township and viewed rescue and relief operations. He also inspected ongoing rescue and relief measures at Ottarathiri Private Special Hospital in Ottarathiri Township and coordinated reports of officials. At Nay Pyi Taw General Hospital (1,000-bed), the Vice-Senior General inspected arrangements for the temporary medical wards, supply of drinking water for patients and maintenance of buildings and instructed officials to provide the mobile operation theatre and X-ray vehicle from the Defence Services General Hospital.
The Vice-Senior Genera also visited the Obstetric and Gynaecological Hospital (300-bed) and Defence Services General Hospital (1,000-bed) where he viewed healthcare services for families of Tatmadaw members and civilians and readiness of operation theatres and hospital equipment. After attending to the needs of officials, the Vice-Senior General presented cash assistance to patients.
MNA/TTA
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