A total of 21 European countries have already mobilized more than 1,000 rescuers to work in the search for survivors in the earthquakes that struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on Monday, leaving more than 5,000 people dead in both countries.
Just one day after the strong earthquake in Turkey, the EU has offered Ankara 25 rescue and medical teams through the Civil Protection Mechanism, of which 11 are already on the ground, according to the latest information confirmed by the European Commission, which performs the tasks of coordinating European aid. These teams have been provided by 21 European countries, 19 of them member states.
In total, the offer extends to 1,185 rescuers and 79 specialized in these tasks from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Italy, Hungary, Austria, Germany, Estonia, Spain, Malta, Slovakia, Portugal, as well as Montenegro and Albania.
In Syria, the EU is in contact with its humanitarian partners on the ground and is funding humanitarian organizations carrying out search and rescue operations, as well as providing water and sanitation, warm clothing and hygiene items, as Damascus has not formalized the request for pooled aid from the EU-27.
According to the latest death toll provided by the Turkish and Syrian authorities, more than 5,000 people have died as a result of the succession of earthquakes registered on Monday in southern Turkey.
Search and rescue efforts continue, due to the magnitude of the disaster, following the earthquake that has completely destroyed thousands of buildings, so it is expected that the death toll will increase considerably.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
