China pledges $137 million USD for Myanmar earthquake relief

China has pledged emergency humanitarian assistance of 1 billion yuan ($137 million USD) to earthquake-stricken Myanmar, its embassy in Yangon stated.

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.