Death toll due to massive earthquakes in Turkey and Syria rises to 5,000

The death toll due to massive earthquakes in Turkey and Syria has mounted to 5,000 while thousand more are injured. Three devastating earthquakes - of 7.8, 7.6 and 6.0 magnitude- hit Turkey's southern regions on Monday destroying thousands of buildings and causing widespread destruction in the country and in neighbouring Syria. Dozens of powerful aftershocks continued to jolt the region on Tuesday.

Turkiye's Vice-President, Fuat Oktay, confirmed the death of 3,419 people in the quake, with another 20,534 injured. The number of confirmed deaths on the Syrian side of the border rose to 1,602, bringing the combined death toll in both countries to 5,021. Turkey’s disaster management agency said, there were reports of the collapse of 11,342 buildings, of which 5,775 have been confirmed.

The toll is expected to rise as rescue workers search mounds of wreckage in cities and towns across earthquake-hit Turkey and Syria. However, freezing temperatures, damaged roads and poor internet connections are hampering rescue efforts. Turkey has declared seven days of national mourning.

Countries are rushing aid, with India’s first batch of relief materials reaching an airport in the nearby city of Adana in Turkiye. The C17 flight comprises NDRF personnel, specially trained dog squads, drilling machines, relief material, medicines and other necessary utilities and equipment. The decision to send relief material was taken yesterday in light of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s instructions to offer all possible assistance and relief measures to the victims of the earthquake. The relief measures are being taken up in coordination with the government of Turkey.

India has sent two teams of National Disaster Response Force, NDRF, along with specially trained dog squads and all the necessary equipment for undertaking search and rescue operations in earthquake-hit areas in Turkey.

The contingent of NDRF is led by Commandant Gurminder Singh along with doctors and paramedics for providing necessary assistance there. The teams are self-contained in all respect and are equipped with all the necessary state-of-the-art search and rescue, and personal safety equipment. The team will assist the local authorities of Turkey in relief and rescue operations.

Talking exclusively to All India Radio News, Director General of NDRF, Atul Karwal said, each team has 50 rescuers which include five women rescue staff. He said, the NDRF team will assist in rescue operations.

Ministry of Home Affairs in a statement has said that the government of India is committed to providing all necessary assistance in this crisis situation to the government of Turkey to cope with the earthquake. (AIR NEWS)

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