Turkey and Syria Archives - Lokmarg

Human Welfare India’s Top Priority: Modi While Interacting With ‘Operation Dost’

By LokMarg 21st February 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said human welfare is India’s top priority and ‘Operation Dost’ to mobilise earthquake relief to Turkey and Syria demonstrates the country’s constant enveavour to serve humanity.

“Our culture has taught us Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which is to treat the world as a family. Irrespective of where a human tragedy happens, our country has been steadfast in making human welfare as its top priority,” PM Modi said during an interaction with NDRF officials involved in ‘Operation Dost’.
PM Modi shared a video clip of the interaction on his official Twitter handle.

“Today the whole world has goodwill towards India,” the PM said.

In the Twitter post captioned “I will always remember this interaction with those who took part in ‘Operation Dost”, Prime Minister Modi said the operation shows that the country always stands with those in need.

In the video, the PM Modi is also seen appreciating the officers for their work in providing assistance to earthquake-hit Turkey.

A commanding officer of the NDRF, who was part of the interaction, said, “When I was overseing the rescue and relief work (in Turkey), a patient’s relative sensed that I was the commanding officer. He held both my hands, took them to his eyes and then kissed them. He said you are like a father to me. He said ‘I represent my country’s young generation but I can assure you that the coming generations will remember what your country did for us.”

A woman officer recalled a woman in Turkey as telling her, “For me, god comes first and you second.”

The officers revealed that the dog squad, which has been deployed as part of the ongoing relief operations, did their work ably and were in good health.

“We let Julie (part of NDRF’s dog squad) towards the rubbles and she gave us an indication of a survivor trapped under. We sent Romeo after Julie to confirm if there was a survivor. He barked in affirmation,” an officer said.

Another officer said, “We rescued two small girls from the rubble after 80-104 hours.”

“Whenever the Indian Air Force arrives to the rescue of humanity in a friendly country, hope is aroused in people’s hearts that India is standing with them. It is widely acknowledged about India that no matter what happens in the world, we will rush to help and support people in distress,” a senior officer said.

The Indian Army’s medical team deployed under ‘Operation Dost’ touched down on Monday at Ghaziabad’s Hindon Airport after a 12-day operation during which they treated over 3,500 patients in earthquake-ravaged Turkey.

Major Beena Tiwari, an Indian Army Major who served as a medical officer in the 60 Parachute Field Hospital and was seen hugging a Turkish woman in a viral picture, recounted her experience while speaking to ANI.

Major Tiwari told ANI that they realised the full extent of the devastation and the loss of lives after reaching Turkey. Amid all the chaos, finding a spot to set up the hospital was tough, she recounted.

She added that within hours of reaching Turkey, the Army set up their hospital in a building near a local hospital in Iskenderun.

The 99-member self-contained team successfully ran a fully equipped 30-bedded Field Hospital in Iskenderun, Hatay, attending to nearly 4,000 patients round the clock. (ANI)

3 Dead, 213 Injured As Two Earthquakes Shatter Lives In Turkey

By LokMarg 21st February 2023

At least 3 persons were killed and 213 others were injured after the two fresh earthquakes hit Turkey’s Southern Hatay province, Anadolu Agency reported citing Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu.

Turkish Interior Minister also stated that the search and rescue operations are underway at three sites.
On Monday evening, two earthquakes jolted Turkey’s southernmost Hatay province, just two weeks after major quakes hit the region, the country’s disaster management agency said.

According to Turkey’s Anadolu Agency citing the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), one of the quakes occured at around 20.04 pm, local time (1704GMT) in the Defence district of Hatay, with a magnitude of 6.4. In contrast, the other quake with a magnitude of 5.8 hit the country three minutes later, with its epicentre being in Hatay’s Samandag province.

The first quake took place at a depth of 16.7 kilometres (10.4 miles), while the second one was at a depth of 7 km (4.3 mi). Both were felt in surrounding areas.

The quakes of two weeks ago, though centred in Kahramanmaras, 100 kilometres or more from Hatay, caused extensive damage in Hatay, reported Anadolu Agency.

AFAD issued warnings urging citizens to avoid coastal areas as a precaution against the risk of a rise in the sea level, which could reach up to 50 centimetres (1.6 feet).

Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay called on citizens in the region to stay away from damaged buildings as authorities scan the affected areas.

Turkey is still not out of the pain of losing at least 41,000 people and another earthquake hitting the country, the agency reported.

Millions of people who survived the quake need humanitarian aid, authorities say, with many survivors left homeless in near-freezing winter temperatures. Rescues are now few and far between.

Earlier, Turkey ended rescue efforts in eight out of ten provinces, almost two weeks after a massive earthquake killed tens of thousands of people, the country’s disaster agency said. (ANI)

Death Toll In Turkey-Syria Quake Surpasses 41,000

By LokMarg 17th February 2023

The death toll from the earthquakes in Turkey and northwestern Syria has gone past 41,000 as rescue efforts continue, Voice of America (VOA) reported.

On Thursday, two women were pulled from the debris in Turkey’s southern city of Kahramanmaras, and a mother and two children were rescued in Antakya nine days after the earthquake. The rescue in Antakya came 228 hours after the earthquake, VOA reported citing the state-owned Anadolu news agency reported.
Millions of people who survived the quake need humanitarian aid, authorities say, with many survivors left homeless in near-freezing winter temperatures. Rescues are now few and far between.

Indian Army is supporting Turkey and Syria during a hard time. Recently, the Indian army team deployed as part of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) delivered relief material to Aleppo, Syria.

The material included rations and medicine from the government of India as well as contributions from the international community.

“#IndianArmy team deployed in @UNDOF delivers relief material to Aleppo, #Syria. This included rations & medicines from Government of #India as well as contributions from the international community,” Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADG PI), Indian Army tweeted on Thursday.

Under ‘Operation Dost’, Union Health Ministry provided life-saving humanitarian medical Assistance to quake-hit Turkey and Syria.

Taking to Twitter, Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya said, “India is helping Syria and Turkey with the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. @MoHFW_India provided life-saving emergency medicines, protective items, medical equipment, critical care drugs, etc as part of India’s efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to Turkey and Syria.”

On February 6, a devastating earthquake of magnitude 7.8 ravaged Turkey and Syria.

According to a statement issued earlier by the Union Health Ministry, emergency relief material comprising life-saving medicines, protective items, and critical care equipment valued at over Rs 7 crore was arranged and promptly dispatched to Turkey and Syria.

Three truckloads of relief materials, comprising life-saving emergency medicines and protective items, were arranged at the Hindon airbase.

The consignment consisted of 5,945-ton emergency relief material, including 27 life-saving medicines, two kinds of protective items, and three categories of critical care pieces of equipment, valued at approximately Rs 2 crore.

On February 10, more relief materials were mobilised for both Turkey and Syria. The consignment for Syria consisted of 72 critical care drugs, consumables, and protective items of 7.3 tons, valued at Rs 1.4 crore, the statement from the Union Health ministry read. (ANI)

Operation Dost, India Sends Humanitarian Assistance To Turkey, Syria

By LokMarg 8th February 2023

India is providing materials, supplies, medical supplies, and equipment, to Syria as well as sending search and rescue teams to Turkey under ‘Operation Dost’, said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday.

The search for survivors of the terrible earthquake that shook Turkey and Syria on Monday continues on Wednesday. Foreign aid from multiple countries has started arriving in the region.
“Under #OperationDost, India is sending search and rescue teams, a field hospital, materials, medicines and equipment to Turkiye and Syria. This is an ongoing operation and we would be posting updates,” Jaishankar tweeted.

According to aid organisations and rescuers, the number of fatalities is expected to rise as many people are still buried beneath the wreckage.

The Turkey-Syria earthquake death toll currently stands at 9,487, CNN reported citing officials as rescue operations continue in the disaster-hit countries. India dispatched its fourth batch of aid, including 54 members of the medical team from the Indian Army as part of the country’s Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief on Tuesday.

Recently, over 6 tons of emergency relief assistance reached Syria and was received at the Damascus airport by Deputy Minister of Local Administration and Environment Moutaz Douaji. It included 3 truck-loads of protective gear, emergency use medicines, ECG machines and other medical items, the Ministry of External Affairs said in an official statement.

In the wake of a tragic earthquake that struck North-Western Syria on 6 February 2022 causing massive destruction and loss of precious lives, India dispatched 6 tons of emergency relief assistance through a special aircraft of the Indian Airforce to Syria.

“The consignment was handed over by Cd’A of India to Syria Shri S. K. Yadav to the Deputy Minister of Local Administration and Environment of Syria Mr Moutaz Douaji at Damascus Airport today morning. The consignment consists of emergency medicines and equipment including portable ECG machines, patient monitors and other essential medical items,” the official statement read.

India over the years has been extending humanitarian, technical and developmental assistance to Syria through bilateral and multilateral channels. Consignments of food and medicines have been supplied to Syria from time to time, including during the pandemic.

Two Artificial Limb Fitment Camps (Jaipur Foot) have been organized in Syria in December 2020 and recently in October-November 2022, the press release read. (ANI)

Turkey Earthquakes: Death Toll Surpasses 7,900-Mark

By LokMarg 8th February 2023

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.

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. At least 1,832 people have died and 3,849 others have been injured in Syria, as per the CNN report.
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, as per the news report. On Tuesday, 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.

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.

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.

Erdogan’s remarks came after the 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck the Pazarcik district of Kahramanmaras province on Monday. Later, a 7.6 magnitude quake centered in Kahramanmaras’s Elbistan district rocked the region, affecting several other provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, and Gaziantep, as per the Anadolu Agency report.

The third earthquake of magnitude 6.0 hit Goksun, Turkey on Monday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said. The earthquake was also felt in several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon.

In his remarks, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, “Both earthquakes were experienced at a distance of 7 kilometers 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. (ANI)