CYBERJAYA: The Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) overcame extreme heat, aftershocks, and language barriers in Myanmar, ultimately rescuing a 47-year-old man trapped for six days under debris.

Contingent commander Mohamad Hafiezul Abdul Halim said the man's rescue was the highlight of the team's effort throughout their deployment in Myanmar's Sagaing region, where they were the only international rescue team around.

"The heat was unbearable, ranging from 37 to 41 degrees Celsius, but we stayed focused.

"We managed to rescue a 47-year-old school principal who had been trapped under the ruins of a hotel. We managed to get him out on the sixth day, and he was immediately taken to hospital. This was the triumph in our mission," he said when met at the SMART headquarters, here.

He added that throughout their deployment, the SMART team had also managed to recover 10 bodies. Earlier, the 50-man rescue team received a hero's welcome after their deployment to Myanmar.

They were greeted by family members who had been waiting eagerly for the team who had spent over a week in the disaster-stricken region.

Hafiezul also said that tremors from aftershocks of the quake also posed a challenge to the elite rescuers.

"While we were there, there were several aftershocks. We experienced about three tremors a day, with the strongest being 5.2 in magnitude.

"Though we weren't afraid, the tremors were a reminder of the ongoing risk. When tremors occurred, we could feel the ground shaking, but we weren't overly worried as we had safety officers and structural sensors on hand. We followed safety procedures to ensure everyone was protected," he said.

Meanwhile, the only woman in the mission, Avlyanie Moidi, said language barriers were some of the challenges faced.

"Language was a major barrier. The locals weren't fluent in English, so we needed translators to ensure clear communication," she said.

Avlyanie also said SMART's presence in Sagaing was crucial in speeding up the process of victim extraction.

"While the local teams would have eventually been able to conduct rescues, it would have taken much longer. Our presence certainly helped speed up the process.

"Our equipment was 10 out of 10. It allowed us to assist the local rescue teams in ways they couldn't," she said.

Avlyanie, serving as an information coordinator, shared an insight into her role by evaluating disaster levels, assessing building structures, and gathering vital information about the victims.

"My job was to gather all relevant information, from the condition of buildings to identifying the victims involved. I had to ensure we had all the necessary details to carry out the rescue operation effectively," she shared.

On March 30, Malaysia dispatched the 50-man SMART MAS-01 team after a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar, with the epicenter near Mandalay.

The quake has since claimed the lives of at least 3,471 people, with thousands more injured and many still missing.