Shelterbox Response Team gears up to provide Disaster Relief in Myanmar following 7.7 Earthquake

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Local non-profit, Shelterbox, is in full disaster mode as they prepare a response team to assist in the aftermath of a 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand.

CNN reports that at least 144 people have been killed and hundreds are injured following Friday's earthquake that shook Myanmar, parts of Thailand and China. Reports of residential towers, buildings, mosques, and bridges collapsing have left hundreds displaced.

In response, a rare plea for international humanitarian aid has been made by Myanmar authorities, who have declared a state of emergency across six regions.

In a press release, Shelterbox President – Kerri Murray – said Myanmar's anticipated the humanitarian needs will be high, especially for durable, moveable tents.

“ShelterBox is accustomed to responding to catastrophic earthquakes from Haiti, Turkey to most recently Morocco,” said Murray. "Our emergency shelter, tents, cookware sets and other aid items were life saving to families who lost everything to the quake there.”

Shelterbox says their teams have vast experience in disastrous earthquakes and will first send their response team to Bangkok, Thailand for assessment of what needs to be deployed.