A 42-member strong rescue contingent from Singapore has arrived Padang, Indonesia to render help, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said on Monday.
Following ground assessment done at several locations, The SCDF Operation Lionheart Contingent was deployed to carry out search and rescue operations at two locations.
An 11-man team led by the Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team ( DART) has been deployed to the collapsed 4-storey building Hotel Dipo International, southern area outside of Padang.
Search dogs were used to detect the possibility of victims trapped under the rubbles of the collapsed building. The team is currently carrying out search and rescue operations using fibre-optic scope and pneumatic drill.
A second 13-man team is currently carrying out search and rescue operations at a collapsed 4-storey library building, opposite Hotel Dipo International. The search dogs were also deployed at this site.
In addition to responding to local rescue operations, the DART also maintains a dedicated rescue contingent on 24-hour standby, under the codename Operation Lionheart, to provide rescue and humanitarian assistance and support to countries hit by major disasters.
The current mission undertaken is the 11th mission. Since 1990, the contingent had responded to 10 overseas missions.
