You made India proud: PM Modi hails teams involved in Operation Dost in quake-hit Turkey
On February 6, Turkey and Syria were jolted by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake, which left around 47,000 dead and millions homeless. As the region plunged into a grave humanitarian crisis, countries across the world reached out to Turkey and Syria. The Indian government, as part of its ‘Operation Dost’, has set up a field hospital, sent multiple National Disaster Response Force teams, and provided supplies to the affected region.
The Prime Minister underlined the unmatched professionalism and the human touch and said that it plays a crucial role when a person is dealing with trauma and has lost everything. New Delhi, Feb 20 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday interacted with the personnel involved in Operation Dost in quake-hit Turkiye and Syria, and praised their efforts in disaster response and relief measures. India launched ‘Operation Dost’ to extend assistance to Turkiye as well as Syria after various parts of the two countries were hit by a devastating earthquake on February 6 that has killed more than 40,000 people.
“On the basis of my experiences in these calamities, I can appreciate your hard work, spirit and emotions. Recalling the images of a mother who blessed the members of the team for their efforts, the Prime Minister noted the pride that every Indian felt after witnessing every image of rescue and relief operations that was carried out in the affected areas.
“We have more teams in reserve because we don’t know how many more teams will be required. The damage is extensive across a very large area and we are prepared to render whatever help any additional teams that India can provide to Turkey in this time of crisis,” he added. “We have also set up a control room in Adana.
“I thank the government for taking the quick decision to send us for this disaster response. We were told to establish our field hospital and within a matter of hours we were functional and started receiving casualties,” he told news agency ANI. The death toll from a catastrophic earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria climbed to 33,000 on Sunday, with the United Nations warning that the final number may double. Officials and medics said 29,605 people had died in Turkey and 3,574 in Syria from Monday’s 7.8-magnitude tremor, bringing the confirmed total to 33,179.
You made India proud: PM Modi hails teams involved in ‘Operation Dost’ in quake-hit Turkey
- Indian Army doctor Col. Vijay Pandey has developed an external fixator for hand fractures which have been deployed in Turkiye & Syria for helping earthquake victims.
- The Indian Army’s medical team deployed under “Operation Dost” returned to India on Monday after 12 days of the operation and treating over 3,500 patients in earthquake-hit Turkey.
- Addressing the personnel, the Prime Minister lauded them for their great work in ‘Operation Dost’ in earthquake-hit Türkiye and Syria.
Indian hand of friendship and ‘Dosti
Meanwhile, the Indian hand of friendship and ‘Dosti’ will always be there to reassure and help humanity as it embarks on depoliticizing the vital needs of food and fuel and medicines from the purview of sanctions and weaponization under her G20 Presidency. Most recent Indian largesse was and is being witnessed in Indian response to the devastating earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria.
The new Turkish leadership may realise that it is not in the interest of Türkiye to get isolated in the Islamic world and remain clutched with Pakistan. But Erdogan’s leadership faces a huge challenge domestically in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake as he loses popularity and invites criticism from people and various political quarters.
Operation Dost The Whole World is Our Family Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
“The whole world is our family. For us, the entire world is one family. We have helped citizens of other nations during this ,” he said while lauding the rescue professionals’ efforts in Turkey and Syria. The doctors and the relief-rescue team earned laurels for India from the local earthquake-stricken population. The Ambassador of Türkiye to India,Firat Sunel, described India as a “Friend in need is Friend indeed”.
The Turkish consulate had appealed to the public to contribute in kind and after a few days they sent out a message that they are not accepting any donations at the consulate and the donors were asked to deposit at the airport where again it is lying on the roads,” added Asif Hussain.
An Additional statement according to Jaishankar. We understand that the consulate is under distress looking at the disaster, but they have to hold their ground and take the received aid with responsibility and respect, says activists. A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Turkey’s southeast and neighbouring Syria on February 6, killing more than 45,000 people and leaving more than a million people homeless along with an economic cost expected to run into billions of dollars, reported Al Jazeera.
A father and daughter, a toddler and a 10-year-old girl were among survivors pulled from the ruins of collapsed buildings in the southern Turkish province of Hatay on Sunday. Monday’s earthquake flattened swathes of towns and cities in parts of Turkey and Syria, killing at least 28,000 people. As rescue efforts enter their time for crews to reach trapped victims alive under the rubble is running out, but emergency crews are still finding survivors.
Their equipment allows for detection, location, access and extrication of people trapped under collapsed structures. In addition, personnel and equipment have been sent to set up a 30-bed self-sustained field hospital of the Indian Army. This includes a team of 99 specially trained personnel, with essential medicines, advanced equipment, vehicles and ambulances. The hospital will provide for a fully functional Operation Theatre and facilities such as X-ray, ventilators, etc as per the press release of MEA .
Dost Means Friends
At least 12,873 people have died in Turkey, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Agency on Thursday. And this is the operation of friendship because DOST is the word in Hindi and Turkish which means friends.
India launched Operation Dost to extend assistance to Turkey and Syria after devastating quakes and aftershocks in the region. India will be among nations that shape the future of ‘Operation Dost’ is a symbolic operation. It already proves that we are friends. We have to deepen our relations.”
India is providing assistance to Turkey through the ongoing crisis after earthquakes jolted the country on February 6.
Conclusion Operation Dost
Concluding the address, the Prime Minister lauded the efforts and experiences of the NDRF team and said that even though they were carrying out rescue operations in the field, he had always been connected with them over the past days through the mind and heart. “India’s quick response during the earthquake has attracted the attention of the whole world. It is a reflection of the preparedness of our rescue and relief teams,” PM Modi said.
3 Teams of 151 personnel & dog squads extended assistance to earthquake. Prime Minister Modi underlined India’s commitment to humanity through ‘Operation Dost’ and said that India was one of the first responders when the powerful earthquake hit Turkiye and Syria. The consignment consisted of 5,945-ton emergency relief material which included 27 life-saving medicines, two kinds of protective items, and three categories of critical care pieces of equipment, valued at approximately Rs 2 crore. According to a statement released by Union Health Ministry, the emergency relief material comprised life-saving medicines, protective items, and critical care equipment valued at over Rs 7 crore.