In the Turkish city of Gaziantep, groups from (NDRF) India’s National Disaster Response Force have already started conducting search and rescue operations (Image courtesy: MEA).
India continues to demonstrate its HADR) Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief powers in action by transmitting significant humanitarian help to earthquake-stricken Turkey and Syria under “Operation Dost,” upholding the G20 motto of “One Earth, One Family, One Future.”
Teams from the (NDRF) National Disaster Response Force had already started search and rescue efforts in the Turkish city of Gaziantep when the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) gave a special briefing on Wednesday evening outlining the emergency relief assistance being provided by India.
A few hours prior, Moutaz Douaji, Environment and Syria’s Deputy Minister of Local Administration, received more than six tonnes of emergency relief supplies at the Damascus airport.
The shipment comprises three truckloads of emergency medications and supplies, including patient monitors, portable ECG machines, and other crucial medical supplies.
According to Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West) at the MEA, India despatched a (SAR) Search and Rescue flight within 12 hours of a discussion after accepting a request for assistance via email from the Turkish side.
Then, two more flights carrying NDRF teams and two more bringing medical teams were dispatched to Turkey. Six rescue planes from India have left since early Tuesday, including one aircraft carrying medical caches and equipment to Syria.
The number of fatalities in Turkey’s largest natural tragedy since 1939 is getting close to 10,000. The earthquake also had a devastating impact on northwestern Syria, causing extensive damage and the loss of many lives.
The first two teams made up of seven cars, and 101 rescuers, including five women, and four sniffer dogs, arrived in Adana and Urfa in Turkey on Tuesday, as per the NDRF Director General Atul Karwal. Both teams are already at work.
He claimed that the third squad, which had 51 rescuers, a canine accompaniment, and four cars, was evacuated from Varanasi to Hindon terminal and will soon travel to Turkey.
According to IndiaNarrative.com, an Indian Air Force plane carrying a field hospital for the Indian Army with 30 beds has also arrived in Turkey.
To create the medical center, the 89-member team of medical professionals from the Indian Army is outfitted with x-ray machines, ventilators, oxygen-producing plants, cardiac monitors, and related equipment.
While Turkey’s ambassador to India, Firat Sunel, described India as a close friend, the Syrian ambassador Bassam al-Khatteeb, to New Delhi, hailed both the Indian government and the Indian people.
Dost is a widely used term in Hindi and Turkish. There is a Turkish saying that goes, “Dost kara gunde belli olur” (a friend in need is a friend absolutely). Thank you very much, India,” tweeted Sunel.
One Indian national who was in the area on business is missing, according to the MEA, which has established a control chamber in Adana, while another 10 people are trapped in isolated regions of the impacted areas but are safe.
On Wednesday, India reaffirmed that it had provided Syria with humanitarian, technical, and developmental aid over the years through both bilateral and multilateral channels.
Occasionally, particularly during the epidemic, food and medicine shipments have been sent to Syria. Recently, in October-November 2022, two (Jaipur Foot) Artificial Limb Fitment Camps were held in Syria, according to MEA.