Earthquake: Malaysia’s Smart Team to be Deployed to Afghanistan - Deputy PM Ahmad Zahid

BAGAN DATUK (Perak, Malaysia), Sept 7 (Bernama) -- Malaysia plans to deploy the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) to Afghanistan to provide aid to victims of the recent earthquake that struck the country.

Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the proposal will be conveyed to the Director-General of the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), Abdul Halim Hamzah.

At the same time, Ahmad Zahid said he will discuss with Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin to also send the Malaysian Armed Forces Health Corps (Royal Health Corps) to join SMART in the mission.

“I will also coordinate with NGOs, especially volunteer groups with experience assisting flood victims and in other natural disasters, so they can help the affected people.

“Insya-Allah, tomorrow (Monday) we will contact the Afghan Ambassador in Kuala Lumpur to discuss the details of sending this team to assist those impacted in Afghanistan,” he said at a press conference here Sunday.

A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan around midnight on Aug 31, followed by several aftershocks. 

On Thursday, the Ariana News portal reported that the death toll from the earthquake in Afghanistan had exceeded 2,200 people, with more than 3,600 injured.

-- BERNAMA