Death toll in Turkey-Syria quake surpasses 41,000

ANKARA: 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.