“Friend in need is friend indeed”: Turkey thanks India for funds within 24 hours
-
Salma Hossein
- . February 7, 2023
- . Update: February 7, 2023 7:02 pm
One of the largest earthquakes in more than a century hit Turkey early Monday, causing vibrations throughout the region and killing over 4,800 people in the country and neighbouring Syria. Authorities fear the death toll would keep climbing as rescuers look for survivors in the debris.
The pre-dawn 7.8-magnitude tremor was followed hours later by a couple more powerful ones. Governments and aid organisations across the world are rushing to dispatch aid, personnel, and equipment to support rescue efforts. Turkey’s historic rival Greece has also extended a hand of support, offering rescuers, rescue dogs, a special rescue vehicle, doctors, seismic planning experts, and a structural engineer.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to provide all possible help to Turkey. Terming India as “Dost” – a common word in Turkish and Hindi – for its generosity in providing funds to the country, Ambassador of Turkey to India Firat Sunel thanked New Delhi. He used the “Turkish proverb: ‘Dost kara gunde belli olur’ (A friend in need is a friend indeed).”
Read | Fresh earthquake rattles Turkey, Syria just hours after first kills 1,400
India has dispatched rescue and medical teams to the earthquake-hit country. As per the Army, a 99-member medical team has been dispatched by the Agra-based 60 Para Field Hospital. The team is equipped with ventilators, cardiac monitors, X-ray machines, an oxygen generation plant, and other equipment to establish a 30-bedded medical facility.
The National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) team already left for Turkey in a C-17 Globemaster at 3 am Monday night. A C-130 transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force is also being sent to Syria with medical supplies, sources mentioned.
To help with the search and rescue operations in Turkey, canines, who have been trained to detect live victims under rubble, have also been sent.
