Colombo, Sri Lanka, April 5 -- Ministry of Defence and Urban Development issued the following news release:

A specialized medical and disaster relief team, composed of 26 members from Sri Lanka's tri-services led by Brigadier Punya Karunathilake, departed for Myanmar on a special flight today, (Apr 5), to assist the people affected by the recent earthquake.

These disaster relief operations are being conducted under the supervision of the Defence Secretary, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), following instructions from His Excellency the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. It is worth noting that the tri-service commanders swiftly tasked these special relief teams in a very short time frame.

Myanmar, a Buddhist nation that playe...