Turkey earthquake: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condoled the loss of lives in Turkey after an earthquake of 7.8 magnitudes rocked the nation and neighbouring regions, killing close to 1300 people.
The prime minister's office (PMO) in a statement 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 Turkiye.
According to the statement, two teams of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF), each 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.
"Medical Teams are also being readied with trained doctors and paramedics with essential medicines. Relief material will be dispatched in coordination with the Government of Republic of Türkiye and Indian Embassy in Ankara and Consulate General office in Istanbul," the PMO said.
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The meeting was attended by the Cabinet Secretary, representatives of the Ministries of Home Affairs, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), NDRF, Defence forces the external affairs ministry (MEA) as well as the ministries of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and the Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
Massive earthquake hits Turkey, Syria
A powerful earthquake of 7.8 magnitudes hit southern Turkey and northern Syria early Monday toppling buildings across the region. At least 1300 were killed and hundreds injured, and the toll was expected to rise as rescuers continue to look for survivors amid the rubble of collapsed buildings.
Rescue workers and residents frantically searched for survivors under the rubble of crushed buildings in multiple cities on both sides of the border. In one quake-struck Turkish city, dozens pulled away chunks of concrete and twisted metal. People on the street shouted up to others inside a partially toppled apartment building, leaning dangerously.
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The quake, felt as far away as Cairo, was centered north of the city of Gaziantep in an area about 90 kilometers (60 miles) from the Syrian border. On the Syrian side of the border, the quake smashed opposition-held regions that are packed with some 4 million Syrians displaced from other parts of the country by the long civil war.
Many of them live in decrepit conditions with little health care. At least 11 were killed in one town, Atmeh, and many more were buried in the rubble, a doctor in the town, Muheeb Qaddour, told The Associated Press by telephone.
