Chief Executive John Lee says the SAR government has earmarked HK$30 million from the Disaster Relief Fund to help victims of the severe earthquake that struck central Myanmar on Friday.

In a Facebook post on Saturday evening, Lee said the government was in close contact with rescue groups to provide swift relief assistance to affected communities.

"The Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee will promptly process related funding applications from organisations," he wrote.

The CE added that officials are coordinating with Myanmar's Consul-General in Hong Kong to collect and deliver necessary relief supplies.

A 51-member SAR rescue team, including personnel from various departments and two search dogs, arrived in Yangon on Sunday morning.

The team, carrying nine tonnes of relief supplies, will drive for 10 hours to the affected area.

The number of dead in Myanmar and Thailand stood at nearly 1,700, while thousands were hurt.

About 200 people were unaccounted for in both countries.

Among those injured were 13 Chinese nationals in Myanmar, according to the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar.

The embassy also said as of Sunday morning, it had received and handled hundreds of requests for help from Chinese citizens and assisted dozens of people in finding their missing relatives and friends.

Meanwhile, rescuers from Myanmar and Yunnan province joined hands in plucking to safety an elderly man who had been trapped for nearly 40 hours under the rubble in the capital, Naypyitaw.

He was the first survivor rescued by the 37-member Chinese team that arrived at the quake-hit area on Saturday. (Additional reporting by Xinhua)
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Last updated: 2025-03-30 HKT 14:38