India to send Rescue, Medical Teams to Turkey amidst devastation

New Delhi . On the instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide all possible assistance to deal with the earthquake in Turkey, the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Dr. P.K. Mishra held a meeting at South Block to discuss immediate relief measures. It was decided in the meeting that search and rescue teams of NDRF and medical teams along with relief material would be dispatched immediately in coordination with the Government of the Republic of Turkey.The high-level meeting was attended by representatives of the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, NDMA, NDRF, Defence, Ministry of External Affairs, Civil Aviation and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It was decided in the meeting to send rescue teams to Turkey.The Prime Minister's Office informed that two NDRF teams consisting of 100 personnel with specially trained dog squads and necessary equipment are ready to go to the quake-hit area for search and rescue operations. Not only this, medical teams are also being prepared with trained doctors with necessary medicines.The relief material will be sent in coordination with the Government of the Republic of Turkey and the Indian Embassy in Ankara and the Consulate General of India in Istanbul.A strong 7.8-magnitude earthquake shook southeastern Turkey and Syria in the early hours of Monday, causing several buildings to collapse. More than 200 people have been reported killed and hundreds injured in earthquake-related incidents. There is a possibility of the death toll rising further.