Taiwanese rescue personnel on standby after massive quake in Myanmar

Taipei, March 28 (CNA) A rescue team of 120 people from Taiwan's National Fire Agency (NFA) is on standby for possible deployment following a magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck central Myanmar on Friday afternoon, according to the agency.

Beyond rescue personnel, the team also includes five doctors, seven nurses, one veterinarian, and six search and rescue dogs, and has 15 tons of equipment, the agency said in a statement.

Both President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) expressed their concern over the natural disaster in Facebook posts, and said the rescue team would be ready to respond if asked to assist.

As of 8 p.m. Friday, Taiwan had not received any request for help.

The devastating earthquake, measured at magnitude 7.7 by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), jolted Myanmar's Sagaing region near Mandalay, Myanmar's second largest city, with its epicenter located at a depth of 10 kilometers.

It was followed minutes later by a magnitude 6.4 aftershock in the same area, and Myanmar's military government announced a state of emergency in six regions.

Meanwhile, a magnitude 4.9 quake rattled neighboring Thailand, prompting Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to declare Bangkok an emergency zone, according to local reports.

Local media said the quake killed at least 20 people in conflict-torn Myanmar and at least three in Thailand, with dozens more missing or injured. It also caused roads to crack and buildings to collapse.

Among the missing is one Taiwanese national, who has been out of contact following the collapse of a building in Mandalay, according to Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

No other Taiwanese nationals, including around 30 students who are children of Taiwanese businesspeople in Yangon, have been reported dead or injured, MOFA said.

The Ministry of Education said it will continue to monitor the situation closely.