Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the MPs at the Bharatiya Janata Party parliamentary party meeting today, became emotional as he condoled the deaths in the earthquake that shook Turkey and Syria on Monday noting that it brought back memories of the 2001 earthquake in Bhuj that claimed thousands of lives and was a challenge.
The PM also mentioned humanitarian assistance being provided by the government to the disaster-hit country after a magnitude 7.8 quake in both Turkey and Syria on Monday.
He said that he could very well relate to what currently Turkey is going through. In 2001, a massive earthquake knock down Bhuj in Gujarat’s Kutch district where more than 20,000 people were killed and over 1.5 lakh people were injured and left thousands homeless.
More than 4000 deaths have been confirmed and thousands were injured after a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake happened in Turkey and Syria early Monday, according to officials and agencies. In Syria, 1,451 deaths and 3,531 injuries have been reported by officials.
An external affairs minister S Jaishankar said that the first Indian Air Force plane carrying disaster relief material and a rescue team to support search and rescue efforts in Turkey arrived today in Adana in the earthquake-hit country.
India will be sending two more C17 aircraft with humanitarian assistance and disaster Relief (HADR) to Turkey along with 60 para field hospitals and personnel.
The C17 flight with over 50 personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and a specially trained dog squad along with necessary equipment, including medical supplies, drilling machines and other equipment inquired for the aid efforts had departed for Turkey early this morning.
Turkey Embassy tweeted that “ First batch of earthquake relief material along with NDRF’s special search and rescue teams and trained dog squad just arrived in Turkiye. Thank you, India for your support and solidarity.”
Notably, a meeting was conducted where it was decided that the NDRF’s search and rescue teams, medical teams and relief supplies would be sent put right away in collaboration with the Turkish government, according to Prime Minister’s Office statement.
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