Hot weather tests SMART team's resilience in Myanmar mission

The Star

29-04-2025

KUALA LUMPUR: Hot weather exceeding 40°C was among the challenges faced by the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) during the Malaysian Humanitarian Aid Mission for earthquake victims in Myanmar last March.
SMART's sole female member PB Avlyanie Moidi, 28, who serves as a logistics assistant, shared that the intense heat took a significant toll on the physical endurance of the team including personnel from the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma).
"One of the most difficult challenges was the extreme heat, with temperature exceeding 40°C. The condition was intense, many team members struggled with fatigue and lower stamina," said in a Bernama Radio's programme "Window of Thought: Nadma and Malaysia's Efforts in Asean Disaster Management" on Tuesday.
Apart from the weather, she said the team also had to face the risk of building collapse during aftershocks and language barriers as well as limited access to the disaster-hit areas.
Also present on the programme was Nadma director-general Datuk Khairul Shahril Idrus, Bernama reported.
Avlyanie was among 50 people involved in the humanitarian aid as well as search and rescue operation for earthquake victims in Myanmar.
According to her, the mission tested not only physical endurance but also emotional strength.
One of the most heart-wrenching moments, she recalled, was the rescue of a father and daughter trapped beneath the ruins of a temple, while the mother waited anxiously outside, clinging to hope.
"When we finally brought (the bodies of) the father and child out, the mother's expression changed instantly, from hope to grief. It was devastating.
"In that moment, I was truly overcome with emotion. All I could do was embrace her and offer my condolences," she recounted with a tearful voice.
Avlyanie, a mother of one, previously served in the K-9 Unit of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department, an experience that, she said, helped build her emotional resilience and mental fortitude.
For her, participating in high-risk missions is not a reason for women to doubt their capabilities, but instead, an opportunity to prove their true potential.