The decoration honours the bravery, dedication and humanitarian spirit of the Vietnamese rescuers, who have risked their lives and overcome difficult conditions to assist people in the earthquake-hit areas.
While recovering a victim’s body, a member of the Venezuelan rescue team became dizzy after prolonged exposure to toxic decomposition gases.
The latest recovery brings the total number of victims found by the Vietnamese mission to 45 since its deployment to the disaster zone.
Without a word of resentment toward fate, the mother dropped to her knees, grasped the bloodied, scarred hands of a Vietnamese military engineer and repeatedly whispered through sobs: "Gracias, Vietnam!... Gracias..." ("Thank you, Vietnam!")
Working under harsh conditions, military and police personnel coordinated closely in multiple search teams, combining their expertise with specialised rescue equipment to locate survivors and victims as quickly and efficiently as possible.
This marks the first time that the staff members from the department have participated in the ASEAN-ERAT, demonstrating the spirit of “One ASEAN, One Response: ASEAN responding to disasters as one in the region” as affirmed in the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration.
Following this meeting, the Vietnamese rescue team will proceed to Mandalay, located around 200 km from Naypyidaw, which is the epicentre of the most severe damaged area, with thousands of residents still trapped under rubble.