AP – Structural engineers, soldiers, paramedics and handlers with trained search dogs are heading to Turkiye and Syria to help locate and rescue survivors of Monday’s earthquake.
The European Union has mobilised search and rescue teams to help Turkiye, while the bloc’s Copernicus satellite system has been activated to provide emergency mapping services.
The United States is coordinating immediate assistance to Turkiye, including teams to support search and rescue efforts. In California, nearly 100 Los Angeles County firefighters and structural engineers, along with six specially trained dogs, were being sent to Turkiye.
Russian rescue teams from the Emergencies Ministry were sent to Syria, where Russian military deployed in that country already has sent 10 units comprising 300 people to help clear debris and search for survivors. The Russian military has set up points to distribute humanitarian assistance.
Russia also has offered help to Turkiye, which has been accepted.
Syria called for the United Nations and its members to help with rescue efforts, health services, shelter and food aid. Both government-held territory and the last opposition-held enclave were damaged by the earthquake.
Neighbour and historic rival Greece is sending Turkiye a team of 21 rescuers, two rescue dogs and a special rescue vehicle, together with a structural engineer, five doctors and seismic planning experts in a military transport plane.
The Lebanese army said it will send a team of 15 members of the miltiary’s engineering regiment to neighbouring Syria to help in rescue operations in government-held parts of the country.
