Turkey Syria earthquake: Death toll rises above 9,500 as relief from India continues amid rescue ops

"We're following the G20 mantra of 'One Earth, One Family, One Future'. Sanctions don't cover such humanitarian assistance. We've sent 6 tonnes of medical aid to Syria," said MEA Secretary West Sanjay Verma on if US sanctions on Syria will affect humanitarian assistance.

Flags of all 30 member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) flew at half-mast at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels in honour of those who lost their lives in the devastating earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria earlier this week. The flag of NATO flew at half mast on Tuesday after a deadly 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Turkey on Monday, CNN reported. "All flags at NATO Headquarters are at half-mast today in solidarity with our Ally #Turkiye," NATO said in a tweet.NATO has sent aid in the form of medical personnel to Turkey, a member of the 30-nation alliance, in the form of medical personnel and supplies. More than 1400 response personnel from more than 20 NATO allies have been deployed to quake-hit Turkey for rescue operations."Over 1,400 emergency response personnel from more than twenty #NATO Allies and partners- including invitees Finland and Sweden- are deploying to Turkiye, helping to respond to the devastating earthquakes which struck the country," the official Twitter handle of NATO tweeted. India is extending its support to Turkey and Syria through the ongoing crisis after the earthquake.

Over 6 tons of emergency relief assistance including three truck-loads of protective gear, emergency use medicines, ECG machines and other medical items reaches Syria. Received at the Damascus airport by Deputy Minister of Local Administration and Environment Moutaz Douaji: MEA

The fourth IAF aircraft with 54 members of the Indian Army medical team, as well as medical and other equipment, has landed at Adana in Turkey. 

"Everyday we see ups and downs in geopolitical situations but India has stable relations with countries. As per our policy of 'Vasudaiva Kutumbakam'- India stands forever for humanity," said External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar. 

A UN joint statement has said that nearly 70 per cent of the population was in need of humanitarian assistance even before the massive 7.8-magnitude quake struck the country devastated by the 12-year prolonged crisis. The statement was issued on Tuesday by the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim for Syria, El-Mostafa Benlamlih, and the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, Muhannad Hadi. "We express our sincere condolences to the victims' families and wish a speedy recovery to the injured. We stand in solidarity with the people of Syria and Turkey during this time of need. Urgent support is needed to be able to respond to all those who have been affected in this terrible tragedy," Benlamlih was quoted as saying. Syria's ongoing crisis has destroyed much of its public infrastructure and left millions of people in need of humanitarian assistance. The war-torn nation is also grappling with an economic collapse and a severe water, electricity and fuel shortages, said the statement. "We appeal to all donor partners to provide the assistance necessary to alleviate suffering," said Hadi. "This tragedy will have a devastating impact on many already vulnerable families who struggle to provide for their loved ones on a daily basis," he added. The UN and humanitarian partners have said that they are currently focusing on immediate needs, including food, shelter, non-food items and medicine. In Syria, at least 2,032 people have died and another 3,849 people have been injured as a result of the devastating earthquake that struck on Monday. Aleppo, Lattakia, Hama, Idlib and Tartus were the most affected.

Julie, Romio, Honey and Rambo- a four-member dog squad- are engaged in rescue operations in earthquake-hit Turkey with their 101-member male colleagues of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The specially trained Labrador breed dog squad, which is an expert in sniffing and other key skills during rescue operations in disaster-hit regions, left India on Tuesday for Turkey with two separate teams of NDRF- a 51-member team which arrived there in the morning and another 50-member team which reached by the evening. The dog squad is undertaking search and rescue operations in the affected areas of Turkey which have been devastated on Monday by massive earthquakes.

Turkey: Four C-17 planeloads of relief material, equipment and personnel, weighing over 108 tons. 

This include:

• Self-contained search and rescue units of NDRF numbering over 100 personnel, with their equipment, vehicles and dog squads. These units have specialized equipment for detection, location, access and extrication, and are able to conduct collapsed structure search and rescue (CSSR) operations. Equipment includes hand and power tools, lighting equipment, air-lifting bags, chainsaw, angle cutters, rotary rescue saw, victim location equipment, life detectors, etc. The dog squads help locate victim in rubble and collapsed structures.
• Equipment and 99 personnel to set up a 30-bed medical facility in field operation conditions. Personnel comprises medical specialists in various fields. Medical equipment includes x-ray machines, ventilators, operation-theater, vehicles, ambulances, generators, etc.

For Syria -

Over 6 tons of relief material including 3 truck loads of general and protective gear, emergency use medicines, syringes and equipment including ECG machines, monitors, and other essential medical items. For Syria- it went in C130J

The death toll of a devastating earthquake in southern Turkey and Syria jumped to more than 7,800, informed news agency Reuters.

UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, has said that it is working with national and local authorities to scale up emergency response to reach women and girls impacted by two powerful earthquakes that struck south-eastern Turkey near the Syrian border on Monday. "UNFPA is committed to support the people of Turkey and Syria affected by the earthquakes, including the pregnant women who are expected to give birth in the coming weeks under these difficult conditions," said Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director on Tuesday. "Their ability to access quality care before, during and after delivery must not be an afterthought." Thousands of buildings, including UNFPA-supported maternity facilities, youth centres and women's and girls' safe spaces, have collapsed or been severely damaged. UNFPA's immediate priority is to re-establish services that are critical to the health, well-being and protection of women and girls, according to a statement. UNFPA has offices and operations in the affected areas and was immediately on the ground assessing the impacts and preparing to support the emergency response in coordination with the authorities and partners, with additional personnel on standby for deployment, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Two Indian Airforce aircrafts carrying an Indian Army field hospital for a 30 bedded medical facility have now reached Adana, Türkiye," informed External Affairs Minister of India Dr S Jaishankar. 

While addressing the State Information Coordination Center in the capital Ankara, Erdogan said, "Based on the authority given to us by Article 119 of the Constitution, we decided to declare a state of emergency." "We will quickly complete the presidential and parliamentary processes about the state of emergency decision, which will cover 10 provinces where earthquakes have occurred and will last for three months," he added. In his remarks, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, "Both earthquakes were experienced at a distance of 7 kilometres on earth that exponentially increased the severity of the destruction," Anadolu Agency reported. He further said, "It has caused great destruction in a very wide area compared to their counterparts. Therefore, we are faced with one of the biggest disasters not only in our Republic's history but also in our geography and the world." As per the Anadolu Agency report, Erdogan emphasized that considering the devastating effect of the earthquake, they ordered expert personnel and vehicles from all over the country to immediately move to the region. He stated that despite the difficulties caused by the weather conditions, the teams struggled selflessly to reach the disaster region and participate in the work.

On Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency in 10 southern provinces which were hit by massive quakes, Anadolu Agency reported.

On Tuesday (February 7), Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that around 7,500 Turkish soldiers are working in the earthquake-affected region to assist with rescue operations. Hulusi Akar also said an additional 1,500 personnel will join the team on Wednesday. Hulusi Akar said that 75 military aircraft have been dispatched to the region, as per the CNN report. He added that nine commando battalions have arrived in the region from the west and four commando battalions from Cyprus will arrive in the region as well. 

Orhan Tatar, Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Agency's general director (AFAD), said that at least 5,775 buildings collapsed after an earthquake hit Turkey on Monday (February 6), as per the news report. 

Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said that at least 5,894 people have died and 34,810 others have been injured in Turkey after earthquakes that jolted the country on Monday (February 6). At least 1,832 people have died and 3,849 others have been injured in Syria, as per the CNN report.

The death toll from the earthquakes that jolted Turkey and Syria has risen to at least 7,726, CNN reported. At least 42,259 people have been injured in Turkey and Syria after deadly earthquakes.