Factbox: Turkey quake: international support and offers of aid

Date:

Reuters

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said early on Monday that 45 countries had offered help with search and rescue efforts.

Governments and international organisations from around the world have responded with offers of support after an earthquake of magnitude 7.8 struck central Turkey and northwest Syria.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said early on Monday that 45 countries had offered help with search and rescue efforts.

Below is a list of some of those announcements of support:

UNITED STATES

U.S. President Joe Biden wrote on Twitter he was “deeply saddened” by the lost of life and devastation in Syria and Turkey, adding: “I have directed my team to continue to closely monitor the situation in coordination with Turkiye and provide any and all needed assistance.”

BRITAIN

The government said 76 British search and rescue specialists with four search dogs and rescue equipment would arrive in Turkey on Monday evening and a British emergency medical team would assess the situation on the ground. It said London was in contact with the United Nations about support for Syria.

THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The UAE said it would set up a field hospital in Turkey and dispatch search and rescue teams to Turkey and Syria. It said it would provide urgent relief to Syria’s hardest-hit areas.

SPAIN

Defence Minister Margarita Robles said Spain was sending an A400 military plane with firefighters and equipment, along with an Airbus A330 with civil defence staff to work with rescuers.

IRAQ

Iraq said it would send civil defence teams to Turkey and Syria with emergency and relief supplies, food and fuel.

QATAR

The government said it would start operating relief flights to Turkey on Monday to transport search and rescue teams to the affected zones along with vehicles, a field hospital, tents and other supplies, Qatar’s state news agency reported.

Qatar-funded Qatar Charity said it was distributing 27,000 hot meals in Gaziantep, where it has an office, and is supplying relief items to shelters in Turkey and Syria. The group allocated $6 million for the first stages of its response.

PAKISTAN

Pakistan said two C-130 planes would leave on Tuesday for Turkey, carrying relief and 36 search and rescue personnel.

THE VATICAN AND ITALY’S CATHOLIC CHURCH

Pope Francis has sent a telegram offering his “heartfelt condolences” after earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

The Italian Roman Catholic Church allocated 500,000 euros ($537,800) for emergency aid.

GERMANY

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said Germany’s federal civil protection agency could provide camps with emergency shelters and water treatment units and that it was already preparing relief supplies with emergency generators, tents and blankets, in coordination with the Turkish authorities.

U.N. WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION

WHO chief Tedros said its network of emergency medical teams has been activated to provide essential health care for the injured and most vulnerable affected by the earthquake.

ITALY

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Italy’s Civil Protection was standing by to contribute support and provide first aid.

INDIA

The government said two teams from India’s National Disaster Response Force comprising 100 personnel with specially trained dog squads and equipment were ready to be flown to the disaster area for search and rescue operations. Medical teams were being readied and relief material was being sent in coordination with the Turkish authorities.

POLAND

Poland will send rescue group HUSAR consisting of 76 firemen and eight rescue dogs, Interior and Administration Minister Mariusz Kamiński said.

EUROPEAN UNION

European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič said the EU’s 24/7 Emergency Response Coordination Centre had been in contact with the Turkish authorities and had activated its emergency Copernicus satellite mapping service to help first responders working on the ground.

TAIWAN

Taiwan’s fire department said a team of 40 rescuers along with three search and rescue dogs and four to five tonnes of aid would leave for Turkey on Monday. It previously said it was ready to offer a team 130 people, along with five search dogs and 13 tonnes of aid, and was awaiting Turkey’s response.

UKRAINE

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine was ready to send support. “We are in this moment close to the friendly Turkish people, ready to provide the necessary assistance,” he said.

RUSSIA

Russia’s emergencies ministry said two IL-76 aircraft with 100 rescuers were ready to fly out to Turkey if required.

President Vladimir Putin sent messages to Turkey and to Syria, where Russian troops have been supporting the Syrian military, expressing condolences to the presidents of both nations and offering support.

GREECE

Greek Prime Minister Kyrikos Mitsotakis offered condolences and support to Turkey, saying Greece was mobilising its resources and will assist immediately.

ISRAEL

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said all authorities have been instructed to make immediate preparations to provide medical, and search and rescue assistance.

NORWEGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL (NRC)

“NRC is assessing the situation in order to provide direct support to those most affected across Syria. A massive scale up is needed and our organisation will be part of it,” said Carsten Hansen, Middle East regional director for NRC. He also appealed for more international support for Syria and southern Turkey.

($1 = 0.9297 euros)

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