IRCS to dispatch 2nd relief team to quake-hit Turkey

The head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) Pir-Hossein Kolivand said that the rapid relief team of the entity is slated to be sent to the quake-affected regions in the neighboring country.

The aid includes 10 teams comprising eight members each, he said, adding that the volunteer members are to render relief and medical services to the residents.

The teams are equipped with search and rescue pieces of equipment as well as necessary requirements, he noted.  

The step is taken due to the direct contact with his Turkish counterpart and considering the huge earthquake that struck the country, he added.

Earlier on February 7, the first consignment of Iran’s humanitarian assistance was dispatched to the quake-ravaged regions of Turkey. The batch included eight tons of hospital equipment, emergency treatment and camping equipment.

Also, 50 relief workers were dispatched to the quake-hit regions.

On 6 February, south-eastern Turkey and northern Syria were rocked by a massive earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, several powerful aftershocks and then another earthquake causing unimaginable devastation. The earthquake toppled thousands of buildings and left more than 8,700 dead in both countries. The death toll is expected to climb as more bodies are recovered from the rubble.

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