NDRF teams deployed under Operation Dost for Turkey earthquake rescue ops return to India

Two National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams that undertook rescue operations in the earthquake that hit Turkey, returned to India on February 17. A total of three NDRF teams were sent to the quake-affected country on February 7 following PM Modi’s directive to offer assistance to the country and its people. The teams went in Indian Air Force's C-17 Globemaster.

Two teams comprising 100 personnel returned via IAF's aircraft from Turkey on Friday, February 17. The last team of 50 rescuers was expected to arrive today. The NDRF teams along with four canines landed at Hindon Air Base in Ghaziabad after successfully conducting ‘Operation Dost’. The teams included five women personnel who were sent for tasks on foreign soil for the first time.

Assistance To Quake-Hit Turkey

India announced ‘Operation Dost’ shortly after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake ravaged Turkey. India sent a team from the Army to set up 60 para hospitals and NDRF team personnel for search and rescue Ops. As part of India's relief and humanitarian assistance to Turkey, even in sub-zero temperatures the NDRF team recovered and helped people as they completed daunting tasks.

A 47-member team was among the 101 NDRF personnel who were dispatched to Turkey in two different batches with a four-member dog squad for conducting search and rescue Ops in the quake-affected Turkey that was devastated on Feb 6 by powerful earthquakes. At least 43,000 people died and several were left homeless after the devastating disaster struck the nation. The NDRF rescued the people who were alive and took people from affected areas to safety.

The NDRF rescued two children from the rubble and evacuated 85 bodies from the debris during their 10-day operation in the quake-affected Turkey despite the tough weather conditions that persisted in the country during this time of the year. The canines that were of great help during the rescue operations, helped save many lives.

Canine heroes ‘Romeo’ and ‘Julie’ were instrumental in detecting a little girl’s whereabouts under tonnes of rubble. NDRF personnel were recognised and praised globally after successful operations in Japan in 2011, Bhutan river op in 2014 and Nepal- in 2015. The dogs helped track and pinpoint the location of people alive due to which thousands of lives were saved.

Locals in Turkey extended all help despite their suffering and extended a warm farewell to the teams. Officials said that the operation ended and that now the local administration in the country will take up the task of assisting and treating the injured in the country.

Relief Materials for Turkey

India sent life-saving medicines and critical equipment to Turkey worth Rs 7 Crore under Operation Dost. These medicines include paracetamol, dexamethasone, 10 ventilators and Anesthesia machines, 20 wheel chairs, 50 ECG machines,100 glucometers, thermometer, nebulisers, patient monitoring cardio machines, 10,000 plastic syringes with needles, and 288 POP.

The consignment in the first lot consisted of 5,945 tonnes emergency relief material which included 27 life-saving medicines, two kinds of protective items and three categories of critical care equipment, valued at aapproximately Rs 2 crore. On Feburary 10, a bigger lot of relief materials was arranged for both Turkey and Syria. This was a huge consignment sent to both nations.

The consignment for Syria consisted of 72 critical care drugs, consumable and protective items of 7.3 tons, valued at Rs 1.4 crore while the relief materials sent for Turkey included 14 different types of medical as well as critical care which was valued at approximately Rs 4 crore.