NATO announced Friday that it is sending shelters and mobile command posts to Turkey to coordinate search and rescue operations for survivors following the earthquake that struck the south of the country and has left more than 20,000 people dead in the country and neighboring Syria.
The Atlantic alliance will deploy semi-permanent shelters in Turkey to take in people displaced by the earthquake, the organization said in a statement, detailing that the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), U.S. General Christopher Cavoli, is leading the operations.
The mobile commands are deployable headquarters to supervise exercises and operations. They can be equipped with a range of amenities including heating, power generators and medical treatment areas, NATO said, while confirming that its military authorities are exploring the best logistical and transportation means to deploy these assets.
«NATO stands in solidarity with our ally Turkey, and the deployment of these shelter facilities will help save lives. NATO allies and partners are providing substantial support to the relief efforts, and we will continue to do all we can to help those in need,» NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has assured, after some 20 members of the military organization have channeled aid to Ankara.
Turkish authorities requested emergency assistance from NATO allies on Monday in response to the powerful earthquake that struck the south of the country. The Atlantic alliance’s humanitarian response is managed through the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Center (EADRCC), to which Turkish authorities turned to request emergency medical teams, as well as rescue and search for survivors teams and field hospitals for extreme weather conditions.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
