(Reuters) – Governments and international organisations have responded with offers of support after an earthquake of magnitude 7.8 struck central Turkey and northwest Syria. Hundreds of people have been killed.
U.N. WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION
WHO chief Tedros said its network of emergency medical teams has been activated to provide essential health care for the injured and most vulnerable affected by the earthquake.
INDIA
The government said two teams from India’s National Disaster Response Force comprising 100 personnel with specially trained dog squads and equipment were ready to be flown to the disaster area for search and rescue operations. Medical teams were being readied and relief material was being sent in coordination with the Turkish authorities.
POLAND
Poland will send rescue group HUSAR consisting of 76 firemen and eight rescue dogs, Interior and Administration Minister Mariusz Kamiński said.
EUROPEAN UNION
European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič said the EU’s 24/7 Emergency Response Coordination Centre had been in contact with the Turkish authorities and had activated its emergency Copernicus satellite mapping service to help first responders working on the ground.
UKRAINE
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine was ready to send support. “We are in this moment close to the friendly Turkish people, ready to provide the necessary assistance,” he said.
RUSSIA
Russia’s emergencies ministry said it two IL-76 aircraft with 100 rescuers were ready to fly out to Turkey if required
President Vladimir Putin sent messages to Turkey and to Syria, where Russian troops been supporting the Syrian military, expressing condolences to the presidents of both nations and offering support.
GREECE
Greek Prime Minister Kyrikos Mitsotakis offered condolences and support to Turkey, saying Greece was mobilizing its resources and will assist immediately.
SPAIN
Spanish urban rescue teams are preparing to travel to Turkey, Spain’s Interior Ministry said, and officials from the Defence Ministry and other departments were coordinating to send the crews immediately to Turkey.
TAIWAN
Taiwan’s fire department said it had a team of 130 people, along with five search dogs and 13 tonnes of aid, ready to go to Turkey, and was awaiting a response from Turkey to the offer.
ISRAEL
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said all authorities have been instructed to make immediate preparations to provide medical, and search and rescue assistance.
(Reporting by Reuters bureaus; Editing by Edmund Blair and Angus MacSwan)
