Thank you India, says Turkey ambassador for relief to earthquake-hit

Turkey’s Ambassador to India Firat Sunel on Monday thanked India for sending relief materials to his country reeling from the devastating earthquake which has killed more than 33,000 people.

Mr Sunel tweeted, “Another batch of emergency in-kind donations from the people of India is on the way to Turkiye. @TurkishAirlines @TK_INDIA carries the aids on a daily basis to the earthquake hit region, free of charge. #VasudhaivaKutumbakam

#earthquake #earthquakeinturkey

“THANK YOU INDIA! Each tent, each blanket or sleeping bag are of vital importance for the hundreds of thousands of earthquake survivors.”

India’s seventh Operation Dost flight reached earthquake-hit Turkey and Syria on Sunday with over 35 tons of relief material.

While 23 tons  of the supplies went to Syria, 12 tons of relief material was handed over to Turkey.

EAM S Jaishankar had tweeted:He tweeted, “The 7th #OperationDost flight departs for Syria and Turkiye. Flight is carrying relief material, medical aid, emergency & critical care medicines, medical equipment & consumables.”

The Indian Army also tweeted, “An #IAF C-17 aircraft got airborne last night for #Syria and #Turkiye, bearing relief material and emergency equipment.”

Meanwhile, the Indian Army’s field hospital set up in Turkey’s Hatay province to treat people injured in the devastating earthquake is functioning round the clock.

A team of 96 Indian Army personnel has been stationed at the 60 Para Field Hospital in Iskenderun to provide medical assistance.

“Nearly 800 people have been treated at the hospital,” Lt. Col Yaduvir Singh said.

He said the hospital was prepared to take on patients for as long as needed.

Lieutenant Colonel Adarsh, second-in-command at the hospital, says they have already performed 10 major surgeries at the hospital.

Earlier this week, a picture of a Turkish woman kissing the face of an Indian Army woman officer to express her gratitude went viral on social media.