Two teams of NDRF ready to join rescue operations in Turkey, says MEA

New Delhi : India on Monday said it was ready to help Turkey in its hour of crisis after a massive earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale struck a wide area in the country, said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday.

Two teams of NDRF comprising 100 personnel with specially trained dog squads and necessary equipment are ready to be flown to earthquake-hit Turkey for search and rescue operations, said the Ministry.

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 Turkey and Indian Embassy in Ankara and Consulate General office in Istanbul.

The Ministry of External Affairs said, “In the light of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s instructions to offer all possible assistance to cope with the earthquake in Turkey today, P.K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister held a meeting in South Block to discuss immediate relief measures.

It was decided that Search & Rescue Teams of NDRF and Medical Teams along with relief material would be dispatched immediately in coordination with the Government of Republic of Turkey.

The meeting was attended by Cabinet Secretary, representatives of Ministries of Home Affairs, NDMA, NDRF, Defence, MEA, Civil Aviation and Health & Family Welfare.

More than 600 people were killed and over 3,320 others injured in Turkey and Syria after the massive earthquake struck a wide area near the two countries’ border, according to authorities.

–IANS