Türkİye, Environment

Eurasian countries provide further support for quake-hit Türkiye

At least 31,643 people killed, over 80,000 wounded when powerful quakes struck southern Türkiye last Monday

Burc Eruygur  | 13.02.2023 - Update : 15.02.2023
Eurasian countries provide further support for quake-hit Türkiye

ISTANBUL

Countries in Eurasia continue to provide critical support to Türkiye's ongoing earthquake relief efforts sending hundreds of rescue and medical personnel, along with essential equipment and supplies.

At least 31,643 people were killed and over 80,000 others wounded after the magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes struck southern Türkiye within the space of less than nine hours on Feb. 6, affecting around 13 million people, according to the latest official figures.

The earthquakes, centered in Kahramanmaras, also hit nine other provinces – Hatay, Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Malatya, Adana, Diyarbakir, Kilis, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa.

Several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon, also felt the strong tremors.

Russia

Russian rescuers, together with those from Belarus and Kyrgyzstan, pulled a survivor from the rubble of a building during search and rescue operations in Türkiye.

The man was rescued 160 hours after the earthquake, the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said in a statement late Sunday, adding that rescue work to reach the person took more than four hours.

Ukraine

Ukraine's State Emergency Service said on Monday that its search and rescue teams are actively involved in operations to eliminate the consequences of the earthquakes.

"The coordination center has defined new sectors for our rescuers, which they practice using the entire range of modern equipment and techniques brought with them," the statement said.

It also noted that search and rescue teams examined 105 destroyed buildings and structures, provided medical assistance to three people, and found the bodies of 11 people on Sunday.

It added that since the beginning of their search and rescue efforts, Ukrainian rescuers have examined 302 destroyed buildings and structures, conducted rescue efforts in the debris of 96 collapsed buildings, provided medical assistance to six people, and found the bodies of 20 people.

In a statement on Sunday, the emergency body said new areas were defined for its rescuers by the closest coordination center to conduct search and rescue operations.

Belarus

Belarusian rescuers are scheduled to stay in Türkiye for 12 days, but if necessary, a special team is ready to stay to eliminate the consequences of the earthquake, Viktor Rybak, the country's ambassador in Ankara, said on Monday, according to Minsk’s Emergency Ministry.

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani rescuers continue to conduct search and rescue operations in the Kahramanmaras region, where they have rescued 51 people from the rubble and recovered 613 bodies.

"Additional information will be provided on the progress of operations," the Azerbaijani Emergency Situations Ministry further said in a statement early Monday.

Later, the Defense Ministry said that another batch of humanitarian aid was transported to Türkiye by truck, consisting of field winter tents, blankets, folding beds, sleeping bags, heaters, electric generators, and other essentials.

Kazakhstan

The Kazakh Emergency Situations Ministry said early Monday that its personnel have rescued seven people and recovered 53 bodies since the start of search and rescue operations.

It said that search and rescue efforts continue to be carried out at three sites in Gaziantep, where the first team of rescuers that arrived in Türkiye are working.

Meanwhile, the second group of Kazakh rescuers are conducting search and rescue operations in Gaziantep's Nurdagi district, where they have rescued three people and found four bodies.

Uzbekistan

Uzbek rescuers have rescued 16 people since the start of their search and rescue operations in Türkiye, the country's Emergency Situations Ministry said on Monday.

The statement said that the rescuers pulled two other people from under the rubble in Hatay late Sunday, taking the number of those rescued to 16.

Meanwhile, the bodies of 107 people were recovered, the statement added, quoting Murod Sadykov, head of the press service of the ministry.

Kyrgyzstan

The Kyrgyz Emergency Situations Ministry said on Monday that 80 newly arrived rescuers are involved in search and rescue operations in Kahramanmaras.

Since the start of search and rescue operations, Kyrgyz rescuers pulled out five survivors from the rubble, while they recovered 106 bodies.

Separately, the Kyrgyz Embassy in Türkiye said 78 tents sent from the country were being set up where Kyrgyz rescuers are located.

On Sunday, a statement by the Emergency Situations Ministry said another batch of rescuers and humanitarian aid arrived in Gaziantep from Kyrgyzstan, and would later move to Kahramanmaras.

It also noted that a third group of rescuers will travel to Türkiye with an additional plane in the coming days.

Turkmenistan

Türkiye's Ambassador to Ashgabat Togan Oral announced on Twitter that Turkmens wishing to contribute to humanitarian aid can donate to an account established by the embassy for earthquake assistance.

Earlier, Oral also said those wishing to give blankets to people affected by the quakes can hand them over at the country's Visa Application Center.

Mongolia

The Mongolian government decided that humanitarian aid with goods and materials from state resources would be sent to the people and citizens of Türkiye and Syria, the country's National Emergency Management Agency said early Monday.

"Accordingly, five tons of meat, one ton of candles, 1,000 blankets, and 20 complete Mongolian houses were sent," the statement read.

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