The Foreign Ministry has announced that the first of three teams Indonesia is sending to help with disaster relief in quake-affected areas has arrived in Turkey and is headed to Antakya, Hatay, with another team, comprising health workers from the Health Ministry, due to take off today.
total of 47 personnel from the Indonesia Search and Rescue (INASAR) team arrived in Turkey on Sunday, the first among the three humanitarian missions scheduled to assist in relief efforts at the earthquake-stricken country, a release from the Foreign Ministry said.
Coordinating with the Turkey Disaster and Management Authority (AFAD), the INASAR personnel headed to Antakya, an ancient city in Hatay province, which suffered some of the worst damage from last Monday’s earthquake.
“On top of evacuating Indonesian nationals, we have also evaluated the impacts of the earthquake and identified the places most affected, where our humanitarian aid will be targeted,” said Lalu M. Iqbal, the Indonesian Ambassador to Turkey.
Exactly one week after a deadly earthquake shook southeastern Turkey and northern Syria, the death toll continues to rise as the chances of finding survivors drop with each passing hour.
By Sunday, at least 33,000 people had been killed in the disaster, Reuters reported, with the number only expected to rise.
In Antakya, the INASAR team’s destination, fears over looting and robbery were rife as business owners and residents emptied their property due to worsening security conditions, according to Reuters.
Read also: Indonesia to send rescue, medical teams to help Turkey with disaster relief efforts
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