Rescue teams depart across globe to assist Türkiye after earthquake

Rescue teams from across the globe, including the United States, Israel, Japan, Switzerland, Greece, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Malaysia, Taiwan and Russia have departed to be deployed to Türkiye following a devastating earthquake that hit the southeastern region of the country.

The earthquake has affected 10 cities and claimed over 2,900 lives, with the number of injured surpassing 15,000, according to official reports.

There have been 185 aftershocks recorded so far.

Azerbaijan was the first country, which responded by sending a team to assist Türkiye.

The country has dispatched a team of 420 personnel to assist rescue operations in the region.

Azerbaijan will also send two planes of humanitarian aid for those damaged by the 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, affecting 10 provinces.

In the statement, it was stated that one of the planes had a fully equipped field hospital. Azerbaijani doctors will work in the hospital to be established in one of the earthquake regions.

On the other plane, there are materials such as tents, blankets and heaters.

From Central Asia Kazakhstan sent a team, including experienced rescuers and doctors, as well as specially trained dogs, to Türkiye to carry out search and rescue works in the provinces affected by the earthquakes.

Also the plane carrying a rescue team and humanitarian aid from Uzbekistan to the earthquake-affected regions of Türkiye already set off.

Turkmenistan dispatched a plane carrying a relief crew and humanitarian assistance, including 10 doctors.

Japan Disaster Relief Rescue Team, meanwhile, consisting of 18 people landed at Istanbul Airport early Tuesday and was set to fly to Adana, to support the relief work. Japanese Foreign Ministry have said earlier that Japan will also provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Türkiye. South Korea will dispatch a 60-person search and rescue team and send medical supplies. The government also says it is providing an initial $5 million in humanitarian support, and the Gyeonggi provincial government plans to provide $1 million in humanitarian assistance.

A Greek rescue team, consisting of 21 firefighters, two doctors, three emergency medical personnel, two search and rescue dogs, and specialists from the Greek Special Disaster Response Unit (EMAK), has also departed to be transported to support search and rescue efforts in Kahramanmaraş The team departed from Elefsina Airport near Athens and arrived at the Incirlik Air Base in Adana via a C-130 aircraft from the Hellenic Armed Forces. EMAK Head Dimitris Rupas, stated in a press conference that his team is experienced and ready to work professionally to save as many lives as possible, just as they would in their own country. In a show of mutual aid, Greece and Türkiye have supported each other in times of need in the past, such as during the 1999 Marmara earthquake in Türkiye and the 1999 Athens earthquake.

Swiss experts and rescuers with service dogs are also said to have been readied to fly to the earthquake-hit Türkiye at Zurich Airport. Swiss rescue dog service REDOG is sending 22 rescuers with 14 dogs to Türkiye. The government said it would also send 80 search and rescue specialists to the country, including army disaster experts.

Italy is sending support from its civil protection department. Rome said other flights would follow with medical personnel and equipment.

The U.S., meanwhile, is sending two, 79-person search-and-rescue teams to assist Turkish officials responding to the earthquake.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the U.S. is “in the process of deploying” the 79-person teams in addition to personnel already on the ground “to support Turkish search and rescue efforts, and to help address the needs of all those who have been hurt or displaced by the earthquake.”

Britain is sending 76 search-and-rescue specialists with equipment and dogs, as well as an emergency medical team.

The Israeli army said it’s sending a search and rescue team of 150 engineers, medical personnel and other aid workers to Türkiye. The delegation was to leave Israel on Monday evening. The army said they would provide “immediate assistance in life-saving efforts.”

New Zealand is providing $632,000 to the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) to deliver items such as food, tents and blankets, as well as provide medical assistance and psychological support. China’s Red Cross Society is providing the Turkish Red Crescent and the Syrian Red Crescent with $200,000 each in humanitarian assistance. China will give a first tranche of 40 million yuan ($5.9 million) in emergency aid to help the relief efforts, state broadcaster CCTV said on Tuesday.

Pakistan has also dispatched its first batch of rescue teams and relief goods to Türkiye. A C-130 plane carrying a search and rescue team from the Pakistan Army took off from Chaklala Airbase in Rawalpindi late Monday, said a statement from the Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office. A 50-member rescue team along with 25 tons of relief goods left for Türkiye through a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight Tuesday morning, the statement added. Another C-130 plane carrying 7 tons of relief goods including medicines, tents, blankets and other relief items will be flying to Istanbul from Pakistan’s northeastern city of Lahore later in the day. From Wednesday onward, PIA flights will be carrying 15 and 7 tons of relief goods to Türkiye and Syria respectively on a daily basis, the statement added. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif along with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will leave for Türkiye on Wednesday to express their solidarity with the earthquake victims, local media reported.

It has been reported that Taiwan sent a search and rescue team of 40 people to Türkiye.

According to the news of the Taiwan agency CNA, the National Fire Agency (NFA) announced that 40 search and rescue personnel, with three specially trained dogs and 5 tons of vehicles and equipment, departed for Türkiye by Turkish Airlines plane at 10:25 p.m. local time (5:25 p.m. TSI).

Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations announced that earlier that a 100-member rescue team and two IL-76 airplanes were readied for assistance in the earthquake’s aftermath.

Germany is readying deliveries of emergency generators, tents, blankets and water treatment equipment. It also has offered to send teams from the THW civil protection agency. The group International Search and Rescue Germany was also preparing to fly dozens of doctors and rescue experts to Türkiye late Monday.

Malaysia will send a search and rescue team to assist in relief efforts, as well.

“A total of 75 members of the Malaysian Special Search and Rescue Team (SMART) will be dispatched to Türkiye tonight via a Turkish Airlines flight, bringing with them the equipment that will be used in the search and rescue operations,” Armizan Ali, a Malaysian minister, said in a statement.

The Spanish Foreign Ministry also announced it mobilized troops and drones from the Military Emergency Unit to help Türkiye. Spain’s aid and staff arrived at the Malatya Airport, where Turkish authorities set up the international aid center.

“Spain is preparing additional aid that the affected countries and their populations may require,” it added.

A unit with vast experience in earthquakes and people recovery all over the world is accompanying the Spanish troops to Malatya, the Spanish Embassy to Ankara said later in the day. The unit previously came to Türkiye’s aid two years ago to put out wildfires with airplanes, the embassy added.

Polish firefighters also flew from Warsaw to the Turkish city of Gaziantep.

“Our team will be working non-stop, 24 hours a day, in two locations,” said Andrzej Bartkowiak, chief commandant of the state fire service.

Rescuers from Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic were also deployed for earthquake-hit Türkiye, along with Lebanese army personnel.

“The HUSAR Poland group, consisting of 76 firefighters, five paramedics, eight dogs, and 20 tons of equipment, has just completed check-in and airport procedures and is ready for departure,” the National Headquarters of the State Fire Service of Poland also said late Monday.

India is sending 100 search and rescue personnel from its Natural Disaster Response Force to Türkiye, as well as specially trained dog squads and equipment for relief efforts. Medical teams with trained doctors, paramedics and essential medicines are also ready, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

Qatar said it would send 120 rescue workers to Türkiye, alongside “a field hospital, relief aid, tents and winter supplies.”

Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan offered “assistance” in telephone calls with his Syrian and Turkish counterparts, the official WAM news agency reported.

WAM said the UAE had already dispatched a first plane to southern Türkiye, where it is planning to establish a field hospital.