By Anadolu Agency
February 10, 2023 6:27 amANKARA
Many nations have dispatched search and rescue teams to southern Türkiye in the wake of two deadly earthquakes that affected 10 provinces.
The help from countries worldwide include medical kits, medical personnel, financial aid, rescue teams, rescue dogs, high-tech equipment, heaters and generators.
The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes, centered in Kahramanmaras province, were felt Monday by 13 million people across 10 provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Sanliurfa.
More than 17,600 people were killed and nearly 73,000 others injured by two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye on Monday.
Several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon, felt the strong tremors that struck Türkiye in the space of fewer than 10 hours.
More than 120,344 search and rescue personnel are currently working in the field, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD).
A total of 30,360 people were evacuated from quake-hit regions, AFAD said in a statement.
Speaking in Kilis province, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday that a total of 6,444 buildings had collapsed in the quake zone.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said 95 countries and 16 international organizations offered to send Türkiye assistance, with many nations sending search and rescue teams, doctors, field hospitals and aid materials to the quake-hit region.
Speaking in the capital Ankara, Cavusoglu said 6,479 personnel from 56 countries were currently in the field.
“Teams from 19 more countries will be in our country within 24 hours,” he added at the news conference alongside Tahsin Ertugruloglu, his counterpart from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
A total of 97,973 family tents have been set up to shelter survivors, AFAD said.
It added that 10,363 vehicles, including excavators, tractors and bulldozers, were sent to the disaster area.
A three-month state of emergency to speed up rescue and aid efforts in Türkiye’s quake-hit provinces entered into force Thursday.
In addition, Türkiye is observing seven days of national mourning after the devastating quakes.
All national sports events in the country have been suspended until further notice and schools nationwide will be closed until Feb. 20.
After the quakes, condolences poured in from around the world, expressing solidarity with Türkiye, with many countries sending rescue teams and aid.
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