Indian soldiers administering medical relief in Turkey (Photo: MEA/Twitter)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday hailed the National Defence Response Force for rescuing a minor girl’s life in earthquake-hit Turkey, saying that the Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to making NDRF the world’s leading disaster response Force.
Taking to Twitter, Shah said, “Proud of our NDRF. In the rescue operations in Turkiye, Team IND-11 saved the life of a six-year-old girl, Beren, in Gaziantep city. Under the guidance of PM @narendramodi, we are committed to making @NDRFHQ the world’s leading disaster response force. #OperationDost.” Under ‘Operation Dost’ India had sent six planes carrying rescue personnel, essentials and medical equipment for earthquake relief efforts to Turkey and Syria.
Following the deadly earthquakes on February 6, the death toll in Turkey and adjoining Syria have surpassed 17,500 lives in both countries.
In a press release, NDRF said that their team in a joint operation with AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Authority) of Turkey on Thursday pulled out a 6-year-old girl alive from the rubble of a collapsed structure in Nurdagi town of Gaziantep province.
“NDRF rescuers have also retrieved 08 dead bodies from the debris till now. The rescue operation is continuing since 7th Feb by NDRF in the affected areas. The rescue operation and logistics involved are being monitored closely by the DG NDRF in Delhi,” NDRF said in a release.
Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar gave details about the sixth plane for Turkey and said that it carried rescue personnel, essentials and medical equipment for earthquake relief efforts reached Turkey.
The sixth flight carries more rescue teams, dog squads, and essential medicines for the quake-hit country.
Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote, “The sixth #OperationDost flight reaches Turkiye. More search and rescue teams, dog squads, essential search & access equipment, medicines and medical equipment ready for deployment in the relief efforts.”
On his official Twitter handle, the EAM posted pictures of a field hospital in Turkey where medical experts are preparing to treat emergencies.
“This field hospital in Hatay, Turkiye will treat those affected by the earthquake. Our team of medical & critical care specialists and equipment are preparing to treat emergencies,” Jaishankar wrote on Twitter.
Turkey’s Ambassador to India Firat Sunel has described ‘Operation Dost’ as a “very important operation” and demonstrated the friendship between the two nations.
Firat Sunel made the remarks at the Hindon Airbase in Ghaziabad from where Indian Air Force’s C17 Globemaster aircraft with the NDRF team, medical equipment, and relief equipment, took off for Turkey, as part of the ongoing ‘Operation Dost.’ He said, “Operation Dost is a symbolic operation. It already proves that we are friends. We have to deepen our relations.”
The earthquake of magnitude 7.7 on the Richter scale ripped through Turkey and Syria on February 6, followed by a series of aftershocks that caused huge devastation, loss of lives and damage to infrastructure in the two countries.
Also Read: India’s Operation Dost shifts gears as quake death toll in Turkiye and Syria crosses 15,000
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