Calling India 'dost', Turkey on Tuesday thanked it for providing rescue and medical teams after three powerful earthquakes hit the country within the span of 24 hours. Turkish ambassador to India Firat Sunel took to Twitter and recalled the old saying, 'a friend in need is a friend in deed.'
Taking to Twitter, Sunel said, "Dost" is a common word in Turkish and Hindi... We have a Turkish proverb: "Dost kara günde belli olur" (a friend in need is a friend indeed). Thank you very much.
Just a day earlier, the prime minister's office (PMO) said that a meeting was held and it was decided that the search and rescue teams of NDRF and medical teams along with relief materials would be dispatched immediately in coordination with the Government of the Republic of Turkey.
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Two teams of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF), comprising 100 personnel with specially trained dog squads and necessary equipment, are ready to be flown to the earthquake-hit area for search and rescue operations, the PMO said in a statement.
"Medical teams are also being readied with trained doctors and paramedics with essential medicines. Relief material will be dispatched in coordination with the Turkish government and the Indian Embassy in Ankara and Consulate General office in Istanbul," the PMO said.
India to send medical supplies to Syria
Defence officials on Tuesday said that India will send medical supplies to Syria, which has been devastated by the earthquake, news agency ANI reported.
"India to send medical supplies to Syria today in an Indian Air Force C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft today," said Defence officials.
Turkey hit by one of the largest earthquakes
One of the largest earthquakes to hit Turkey in more than a century, caused vibrations throughout the area, caused buildings to collapse, and forced people to flee into the streets.
The United States Geological Survey has recorded 24 aftershocks in Turkey. Effects of the earthquake were felt in Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus, Greece, Jordan, Iraq and as far away as Romania, Georgia and Egypt, according to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre, as cited by the Times of Israel.
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