The UAE had started its rescue operations in Turkey and was able to save a Syrian family consisting of a mother, son, and two daughters from the earthquake wreckage. The search and rescue team was able to rescue them from the ruins of their home which was completely destroyed by the earthquake that took place on Monday causing large-scale damage.
The rescue took place in Kahramanmaras province and it took more than five hours to complete the rescue of the whole family. The UAE media Emirates News Agency (WAM) also accompanied the rescue team during the operation.
The Emirati rescue team has been making consistent efforts to search for survivors
The family was given emergency medical aid by the accompanying Emirati medical professional before taking them to the hospital for detailed health care. The relatives and other family members of the Syrian family thanked and complimented the selfless and professional efforts of the Emirati search and rescue team during the whole rescue process.
The Turkish authorities were also thanked during the rescue efforts as their continuous support and cooperation were crucial for the Emirati team to pull off a rescue operation of this scale.
A total death toll of 12,000 has been confirmed by the authorities in one of the world’s most devastating earthquakes that took place in a decade. The citizens of both Syria and Turkey have suffered great losses to their lives and property.
The rescue teams are continuously extending their rescue operations in the hopes of finding any signs of life amidst the huge piles of concrete waste. As each day passes, the chances of finding any more survivors are becoming less likely as survivors who might have been trapped inside face issues like lack of oxygen, hunger, or injury.
Several nations have come to the rescue operations in Syria and Turkey. The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) has also started distributing food baskets to the affected areas. The food assistance provided by WFP, one of the world’s largest humanitarian organizations, is of great help to the people of Syria and Turkey at this time of crisis.
Karine Ataya, private partnerships lead for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) at WFP said that it has one of its biggest warehouses in the UAE and this can increase the efficiency of the rescue efforts by a huge margin.
They can load a plane in just four hours and reach the rescue destination within six hours. Also, there are border services through which they can transport food in case of emergencies. Currently, they have made use of this facility to distribute food to the affected regions.
Karine said that they are now observing the situation of the affected areas and will be providing aid according to their needs. The working criteria of WFP are based on strict and scientific parameters that would calculate the needed calorie intake for individuals affected by disasters and distribute the required food items.
They had taken a similar approach after the Lebanon explosion, where they distributed individual boxes for a family that consisted of rice, lentils, tuna, etc. This was calculated as a meal for a family of five members and when cooked, it came up to 1,300 calories per person.
The UAE’s humanitarian arm together with several other ministries has initiated the “Bridges of Good” campaign to provide assistance in the distribution and collection of relief materials to the earthquake-affected regions of Syria and Turkey.
The decision to start the campaign was made by the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) Authority in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) and the Ministry of Community Development.
The first phase of the aid will start on 11th February from 9 am to 2 pm at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (Adnec) and the Dubai Exhibition Center, Expo City Dubai.
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From February 12, the ERC and other cooperating UAE charitable organizations will start collecting donations from individuals and organizations for a span of two weeks. This would be used to collect and coordinate relief efforts and materials for the people of the affected areas of Syria and Turkey.
The ERC has called out to all corners of the UAE society to contribute generously to the cause as this will be a great step of assistance that can be provided to both countries as they are facing one of the worst disasters in recent times.
Individuals who are interested in contributing to the cause can register at the website www.volunteers.ae. In other news, hundreds of residents of Dubai have started collecting relief items for sending to the people of Turkey as part of their efforts to stand with the affected people of the nation. Several items of use like medicines, blankets, food items, children’s essentials, etc. are being collected and packaged at a warehouse in Al Quoz. The collection drive has been initiated by organizations like the Turkish Business Council, Emirates Red Crescent Society, Turkey Consulate, etc.