Relief supplies to Turkiey

Pakistan has sent relief aid to earthquake-hit Turkey as part of its assistance through a Special Air Cargo Flight Operation, according to a press release.

ISLAMABAD

In response to the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey on February 6th, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of Pakistan dispatched a second cargo aircraft carrying 90 tons of load, including 1200 winterized, fire-resistant family tents, to Turkey on Sunday. The relief aid was sent as part of Pakistan's commitment to helping Turkey recover from the quake through a special air cargo flight operation. The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM), Khawaja Hassan, accompanied the aid. On Saturday, the first aircraft carrying similar aid was dispatched by the Federal Education Minister Rana Tanveer and had already been received in Adana. Both flights are part of a special air bridge operation that will dispatch more than 34 chartered cargo aircraft to Turkey. The 7.8-magnitude quake and its aftershocks have claimed more than 45,000 lives in Turkey and over 5,000 in neighboring Syria, causing damage estimated at over $34 billion by the World Bank. Apart from relief goods, Pakistan had also sent its rescue teams to help recover the injured people from under the rubble. The Pakistani teams were praised by international and Turkish media for their outstanding efforts. Pakistan's Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) squad comprising a 33-member Pakistan Army USAR team and 53-member Rescue 1122 team searched 91 sites and provided services at 39 different locations, managing to rescue eight precious lives, including children. In addition, the Pakistan team rescued five other people with the help of other rescue teams. The team also recovered 138 dead bodies from the rubble and handed them over to Turkish authorities. This report was compiled with input from News Desk.