Fraternal Azerbaijan and other countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus have provided critical support to Turkey’s ongoing earthquake relief efforts.
They sent hundreds of rescuers and medics, as well as the necessary equipment and supplies.
Nearly 19,000 people were killed and more than 66,130 injured as the magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes struck 10 southern Turkish provinces over the course of several hours on Monday, affecting more than 13 million people, according to the latest official figures.
More than 113,200 search and rescue teams are involved in continuous search and rescue efforts, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Administration (AFAD).
According to AFAD, more than 5,700 rescuers from other countries are assisting in the disaster area, including teams from the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus.
Azerbaijan
At least 725 rescuers from Azerbaijan arrived in the Turkish region of Kahramanmaras, along with a range of equipment and materials to provide assistance.
They rescued at least 44 people, including nine children, and removed the bodies of 164 people, the Azerbaijani Emergencies Ministry said on Thursday.
Azerbaijani medical workers, in cooperation with the Turkish Ministry of Health and the military, carried out 10 surgical operations in the affected areas and examined 98 earthquake victims, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said in a separate statement.
The ministry also announced the opening of collection points where military personnel and their families can donate humanitarian aid to be sent to Turkey.
Since Monday, Azerbaijan has sent seven planes carrying personnel and humanitarian aid to Turkey, the state-run Azertaj news agency reported.
Twenty truckloads of humanitarian aid were also sent to earthquake victims on Wednesday with tents, beds, power generators, clothes, tables, chairs, towels and other items.
On Friday, eight trucks with humanitarian aid collected by the people of Azerbaijan set off from Baku to provide assistance to victims of the earthquake in Kahramanmarash.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Azerbaijan have initiated earthquake relief campaigns, with Turkish national organizations setting up a Kardeş Kömeği (Help) platform to help coordinate efforts.
Turkish Ambassador to Baku Cahit Bagci said goodbye to eight trucks carrying essential items such as clothing, blankets, non-perishable food and hygiene products.
Baghji highlighted Azerbaijan’s prompt response to the disaster, noting that President Aliyev visited the embassy to express his condolences.
Assistance from Azerbaijan will continue, and Bagci said 100 tents will be sent to Turkey, each of which can accommodate 30 people.
The Azerbaijani people have shown strong support for the relief campaigns, with two of the largest gymnasiums in Baku set aside to collect donations.
Materials were packed by volunteers and loaded onto trucks. 20 trucks with humanitarian aid collected by the “Turkish Unity and Solidarity Platform” departed from Baku yesterday.
Kazakhstan
The second group of rescuers with equipment left for the Gaziantep region of Turkey to participate in search and rescue operations, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan reported on Thursday.
Among the rescuers are 15 from Karaganda and 18 from the Akmola region, who will join the 100 Kazakh servicemen already in the country.
Later that day, the ministry said Kazakh rescuers found four survivors and recovered 13 bodies from the rubble of four different sites in Gaziantep.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the government to allocate $1 million for emergency assistance to Turkey, the press service of the head of state said on Wednesday.
Later, Tokayev visited the Turkish embassy in Astana, where he expressed condolences and promised that Kazakhstan would provide “comprehensive assistance to Turkey.”
Uzbekistan
More than 100 Uzbek rescuers are working in Ovakent, Hatay province, the Ministry of Emergency Situations said on Thursday.
According to the ministry, they rescued 13 people from the rubble and removed the bodies of 38 victims.
The report said that another plane with humanitarian aid arrived in Hatay, adding: “Medics of the Ministry of Defense of Uzbekistan, medicines, basic necessities and special equipment were delivered to the disaster zone.”
Another 71-strong search and rescue team arrived in Gaziantep on Thursday aboard an aircraft carrying additional humanitarian aid, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited the Turkish Embassy in Tashkent, where he expressed condolences to the Turkish people and stated that Uzbekistan is ready to provide all necessary assistance.
Later that day, Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov also visited the Turkish embassy and left a note in the book of condolences, the Foreign Ministry said.
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyz rescuers pulled out 22 bodies in the Kahramanmaras region, the country’s Emergencies Ministry said on Thursday.
According to the statement, the head of the Kyrgyz brigade of 63 people said that rescuers are constantly working, psychologists and doctors provide psychological and medical assistance to citizens whose relatives have died.
Separately, the Foreign Ministry said that it had evacuated 22 of its citizens from the earthquake zone in Turkey.
The Kyrgyz president said in a statement Thursday that two planes carrying tents, a shelter, a mobile hospital, 100 rescuers and two search dogs will soon be sent to Turkey.
Humanitarian assistance also includes medical supplies, clothing and other essentials.
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov visited the Turkish Embassy in Bishkek on Thursday to express his condolences.
Turkmenistan
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the former president of Turkmenistan and current chairman of the People’s Council, visited the Turkish embassy in Ashgabat to express his condolences, Turkish Ambassador Togan Oral tweeted on Wednesday.
Tajikistan
A group of 50 Tajik rescuers arrived in the Turkish region of Kahramanmaras early Thursday morning.
“Rescuers brought with them the necessary emergency equipment designed to carry out search and rescue operations and rescue the victims,” the Committee for Emergency Situations of Tajikistan said in a statement.
The statement said that the rescuers from the committee traveled abroad for the first time to provide assistance and participate in the aftermath of natural disasters.
Later that day, Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda and Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin visited the Turkish Embassy in Dushanbe, where they signed the embassy’s book of condolences.
Georgia
A group of 100 rescuers from Georgia participated in search and rescue operations in the Adiyaman region in southern Turkey.
The Interior Ministry said rescuers pulled the survivor out on Wednesday evening, noting that the victim was then taken to a medical facility.
Initially, the team consisted of 60 firefighters and rescuers, but was later reinforced by 40 more employees.
According to Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, the Georgian parliament will launch a campaign to help victims of the earthquake in Turkey.
A special bank account has been set up for donations, which will be used to purchase needed aid items, he said late Wednesday.
