India sends four ships carrying earthquake aid to Myanmar

India has expanded its relief effort to help its neighbour Myanmar in the aftermath of Friday’s devastating earthquake.

Four Indian Navy ships carrying a total of 70 tons of relief and medical supplies have set off on their way to Yangon on Myanmar’s south-eastern coast, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar wrote on X on Sunday.

A mobile army hospital is also to be airlifted to the city of Mandalay – the epicentre of the earthquake – accompanied by a team of 118 people, Jaishankar said.

An Indian Air Force plane carrying 15 tons of relief supplies already landed in Yangon on Saturday. India is also participating in search and rescue efforts in Myanmar with recovery specialists.

The situation in the south-east Asian country remains unclear following Friday’s earthquake, which also caused damage in Thailand.

Myanmar’s state television most recently reported that around 1,700 had been killed and 3,400 people injured in the disaster, with 300 people still missing. The ruling military junta expects the number of victims to rise further.