'Turkish people are very resilient, will build back better': Indian rescue leader as team flies out

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ADANA, Türkiye (AA) - Expressing condolences to the victims of earthquakes, the leader of the Indian search and rescue team said Thursday he hoped Türkiye will “build back better” the disaster-hit regions because Turkish people are very resilient.

Türkiye is passing through “very bad times but I am pretty much sure that this country will bounce back very soon and I am sure (Türkiye) will build back better the affected cities,” said Col. Gurminder Singh, who led India’s National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to Türkiye after two massive earthquakes hit the country on Feb. 06.

Singh said his three teams comprising 152 personnel were successful in saving two lives, two girls, 80 and 104 hours after the first earthquake hit Türkiye.

The NDRF teams, which flew into Türkiye on Feb. 07, were deployed in Adana, Gaziantep, and Hatay while another group of 100 medics and para-medics from the Indian army is running a field hospital in Iskenderun city in southern Hatay province. They are heading home tonight.

Acknowledging the environment of despair after the worst earthquakes to have hit Türkiye, Singh, however, said: “Turkish people are very resilient. It is a very resilient society.”

He said all the international search and rescue teams were helped by locals, providing critical clues to the trapped people.

“We are very happy to help the people of Türkiye in this hour of distress and tragedy,” the colonel said.

At least 36,187 people were killed by the two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye on Feb. 6, the country's disaster agency said on Thursday.

The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes, centered in the Kahramanmaras province, affected more than 13 million people across 11 provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, Sanliurfa, and Elazig.

Several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon, also felt the strong tremors that struck Türkiye in the space of less than 10 hours.

Türkiye issued a level-4 alert, calling for international aid, which drew more than 9,000 international search and rescue teams, including those from India.

More than 249,000 search and rescue personnel are currently working in the field, according to Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD).

Around 100 countries have offered assistance so far, with many having sent rescue teams.

Besides rescue teams, blankets, tents, food, and psychological support teams, along with over 12,300 vehicles, including excavators, tractors, and bulldozers, were also sent to the affected areas.

Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last Friday that the country is facing one of the biggest disasters in its modern history.

Condolences have poured in from around the world expressing solidarity with Türkiye, with many countries sending rescue teams and aid.