Turkey-Syria earthquake: Following a magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday, authorities estimate that close to 4,900 people have died and tens of thousands have been injured. At least 3,381 people lost their lives in Turkey as of Tuesday morning at 9:45 a.m. local time, according to Orhan Tatar, a representative of the nation's disaster management organisation.
According to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a 3-month state of emergency has been declared in the ten provinces that were severely affected by earthquakes. A 30-bed field hospital operated by the Indian Army is sent to Turkey by India.
Its first component, a 45-member medical team including critical care specialists and surgeons, has departed on IAF's C17. Additionally, it has an X-ray machine, ventilators, OT, and other tools, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs said.
On Tuesday, two National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams totaling 101 personnel departed for Turkiye to assist in rescue efforts following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that left thousands dead there. The central contingency force is supported by two search dogs, four-wheeled vehicles, chipping hammers, cutting tools, first aid supplies, and communication equipment.
In the wake of earthquakes in the western Asian nation, the Indian government has called an emergency meeting with Indian airlines that fly to Turkey. Low-cost air carrier IndiGo from India provided free cargo transportation to Istanbul during the meeting.
The Indian aviation regulator met with Indian airlines regarding the operation of commercial scheduled flights carrying cargo to Turkey. On its regularly scheduled commercial flights using Boeing 777 aircraft to Istanbul, IndiGo has provided free cargo transportation, an aviation industry source told ANI.
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"The Indian carrier colony is with Turkey in the disaster and we are ready to provide free cargo movement for humanitarian aid," sources quoted the airline firm as saying in the meeting.
The 7.8-magnitude earthquake that occurred on Monday had a depth of 18 kilometres and was centred in southern Turkey, close to the nation's northern border with Syria, according to the US Geological Survey. After the initial earthquake, there were numerous aftershocks felt in both nations.
Also, READ: WHO's serious warning on Turkey-Syria earthquake: Death toll may rise to...
According to USGS research geologist Alex Hatem, 13 tremors with magnitudes of at least 5 were felt nearby within the initial 11 hours. Nine hours after the first earthquake, Turkey experienced a second, stronger quake with a magnitude of 7.5, followed by another, weaker quake with a magnitude of 6.0.
(With inputs from ANI)
