Guwahati: Minister of external affairs S Jaishankar reported on Tuesday that the first Indian Air Force plane bringing disaster relief supplies and a rescue squad to assist search and rescue activities in Turkey had arrived in Adana.
The C17 flight carrying more than 50 members of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and a specially trained dog squad, as well as the tools required for the relief activities, including as medical supplies, drilling machines, and other equipment, had left for Turkey early this morning.
Turkish Embassy in New Delhi tweeted: “First batch of earthquake relief material along with NDRF’s special search & rescue teams and trained dog squads just arrived in Turkiye. Thank you India for your support and solidarity.”
Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote, “First Indian C17 flight with more than 50 @NDRFHQ Search & Rescue personnel, specially trained dog squads, drilling machines, relief material, medicines and other necessary utilities & equipment reaches Adana, Turkiye.”
The foreign minister added that a second jet is also preparing to take off.
After Monday’s earthquakes shook Turkey and Syria, India dispatched the NDRF team to Turkey.
Deepak Talwar, Deputy Commandant, NDRF, who is leading the first NDRF team from India to Turkey, said, “This team is consisting of 47 NDRF personnel and three senior officers to perform recovery and response work as per the United Nations guidelines.”
“We have received the orders for two teams. First team is about to move very soon and second team will be leaving in the morning. We’re going for disaster response & after that, humanitarian aid will be provided as per Government of India guidelines,” he further added.
A meeting was held and it was decided that the NDRF’s search and rescue teams, medical teams and relief supplies would be sent out straight away in cooperation with the Turkish government, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Monday.
Following the devastating earthquake that devastated Turkey, a number of other nations have stepped forward to help and support the nation.
The announcement of USD 11 million in relief for earthquake-stricken Turkey and Syria was made on Monday by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, according to CNN.
A total of USD 11.5 million was pledged by both leaders as relief for those affected by the terrible earthquake.
According to officials and agencies, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake that slammed Turkey and Syria early on Monday has resulted in more than 4,300 fatalities and thousands more injuries.
A massive magnitude 7.8 earthquake that shook Turkey and Syria early on Monday has been verified to have killed at least 4,372.
Officials have documented 3,531 injuries and 1,451 fatalities in Syria.
Relief organisations are especially concerned about northwestern Syria, where more than 4 million people were already depending on humanitarian aid, while thousands of structures have collapsed in both nations.
According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake, one of the biggest to hit the area in more than 100 years, struck 24.1 kilometres (14.9 miles) beneath the surface of Turkey’s Gaziantep province, 23 kilometres (14.2 miles) east of Nurdagi.
The 7.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked southern Turkey on Monday morning local time was followed by at least 100 aftershocks, the USGS stated.