The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has sent an 80-member Operation Lionheart contingent to Myanmar to help with rescue efforts following a devastating earthquake that has claimed more than 1,000 lives.
The team departed from Changi Airport at approximately 1:20 pm on Saturday after receiving a request for humanitarian assistance from Myanmar.
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Led by Colonel Tay Zhi Wei, the contingent includes rescuers from the elite Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART), operationally ready National Servicemen, full-time National Servicemen medical doctors, paramedics, search specialists with four canines, hazardous materials specialists, and support officers.
The deployment comes in response to a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck northwest of Sagaing in central Myanmar on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock.
Extensive Damage and Casualties
The earthquake destroyed buildings, downed bridges, and buckled roads across Myanmar, with significant destruction in Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city with a population of over 1.7 million.
At least 1,002 people were killed and nearly 2,400 injured in Myanmar, according to the ruling junta’s statement on Saturday. Around 10 additional deaths have been confirmed in Bangkok.
The scale of the disaster prompted Myanmar’s junta chief Min Aung Hlaing to issue a rare appeal for international aid on Friday, indicating the severity of the situation.
According to predictive modelling by the U.S. Geological Service, the total death toll in Myanmar could exceed 10,000.
Specialised Equipment and Expertise
The Operation Lionheart contingent has brought an array of portable urban search and rescue equipment, including cutting, breaking, and lifting tools, as well as life detection devices and fibre-optic scopes.
“These equipment which are battery operated will allow the team to be swiftly deployed to affected areas to begin immediate USAR operations,” SCDF said in a statement.
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The deployment is expected to last up to 14 days.
Before their departure, Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim met with the team at SCDF headquarters to express his appreciation and see them off, along with their families and loved ones.
Additional Support from Singapore
Three SCDF officers will also be deployed to Myanmar as part of the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team under the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management.
“The ASEAN-ERAT’s primary function is to provide rapid assessment and determine the critical resources required for the areas affected by the earthquake,” SCDF added.
In a separate initiative, the Singapore Red Cross (SRC) has committed S$150,000 to support emergency relief efforts in both Myanmar and Thailand.
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The funds will help address immediate needs, including the distribution of essential supplies such as food, water, blankets, tarpaulins, and hygiene kits by the Myanmar Red Cross Society and Thai Red Cross Society.
SRC will soon launch a public fundraising appeal to support relief and recovery operations for affected communities.
The organization has also activated its “Restoring Family Links” service to help Singapore residents locate immediate family members who may have been affected by the disaster and are difficult to contact.
Since its formation in 1990, the Operation Lionheart contingent has been deployed throughout the Asia-Pacific region to provide humanitarian assistance to countries hit by major disasters.
Previous missions include the Highland Towers collapse in Malaysia, the Japan earthquake and tsunami, and the Christchurch earthquake in 2011.
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SCDF expressed gratitude to Singapore Airlines for facilitating flight arrangements on short notice, as well as to ST Logistics and the SATS Singapore Hub team for their assistance with the deployment.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised Singaporeans to defer all travel to Myanmar for the time being.
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