A Vietnamese rescue team recovers a body from the rubble. — VNA/VNS Photo

NAYPYIDAW — Vietnamese rescue teams have recovered the bodies of three victims from the rubble left by the recent earthquake in Myanmar in the two days of search and rescue operations, authorities said on Tuesday.

One of the victims was identified as U Maung Tin, 74, who was inside his home with his wife and a young grandchild when the quake struck. His children were away at work at the time.

Rescue teams deployed sniffer dogs, ground-penetrating radar and image-scanning devices to locate and retrieve his body from the debris on Tuesday.

The grandchild, who was also trapped in the collapsed apartment, was rescued but lost a leg due to injuries sustained during the collapse.

Speaking at the site, U Maung Tin’s son expressed deep gratitude to Vietnamese rescue teams. "I thought it would be impossible to bring my father out," he said. "But you did it. I’m overwhelmed and can’t thank you enough."

Some rescue forces had previously arrived at the scene but either could not locate the deceased man or could not successfully carry out the rescue.

The second victim was identified as Kaung Khant K., 14, who had been on the first floor of a 1,000-bed hospital when the earthquake hit.

Another body is retrieved from a collapsed building. — Photo from the Myanmar rescue & search team

A rescue team representative said that while clearing the site to reach the boy, they also detected signs of a third victim. However, due to the extent of the destruction, more time will be required to retrieve this body.

The retrieval of the two bodies on Tuesday has raised the total number of bodies recovered by Vietnamese rescue teams to three, after the first was brought out on Monday.

On the same day, a rescue team from Việt Nam's Ministry of Public Security delivered three tonnes of medicine and medical equipment to Myanmar's authorities to support earthquake victims.

Colonel Nguyễn Minh Khương, head of the team, handed over the supplies to Sa Weli Frag, Director of the Department of Disaster Management under Myanmar’s Ministry of Social Welfare Relief and Resettlement.

The aid package included antibiotics, digestive and flu medicines, essential medical devices such as blood pressure monitors, glucose, bandages and disinfectants. — VNS