China pledges $137 million for Myanmar earthquake relief

BEIJING (Reuters) -China has pledged emergency humanitarian assistance of 1 billion yuan ($137 million) to earthquake-stricken Myanmar, its embassy in the southeast Asian nation said.

The March 28 quake of magnitude 7.7 was one of Myanmar's strongest in a century, killing 3,645, as it toppled buildings, flattened communities and deprived many of food, water and shelter.

In a statement on Thursday, the Chinese embassy said the funds would provide urgently needed food, medicines and prefabricated homes, as well as pay for medical, epidemic prevention and disaster assessment expert groups.

Beijing has sent first-response teams, including dozens of medical workers, earthquake experts, field hospital workers and rescue dogs to alleviate the suffering.

China, which has sent more than 30 rescue teams to Myanmar, has said it would participate in disaster loss assessment and reconstruction. The Chinese Red Cross has also provided about 1.5 million yuan ($206,000) in cash.

China's search-and-rescue team left Myanmar on April 9 upon completing its mission, the embassy said.

($1=7.3230 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Reporting by Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

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