10 EU member states are sending search and rescue teams to Turkey. Last Minute EUROPE, Austria, France, CURRENT, Netherlands, Spain, Greece headlines and events

The Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Croatia, Bulgaria, Greece, Czech Republic, France, Italy and Hungary will send teams under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, which was activated at the request of Turkey.

Janez Lenarcic, member of the European Union (EU) Commission responsible for crisis management, civil protection and humanitarian assistance, said that at the request of Turkey, 10 EU member states in connection with the earthquake of magnitude 7.7, the epicenter of which is Pazardzhik. district of Kahramanmaras and affected a total of 10 cities. He said he would send rescue teams.

Lenarcic, at a meeting with a group of Turkish journalists, said that the countries that will send the team are the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Croatia, Bulgaria, Greece, Czech Republic, France, Italy and Hungary.

Lenarčić, who conveyed his condolences to Turkey over the earthquake and offered condolences to those who lost their relatives, said they activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism shortly after the earthquake at Turkey’s request.

Expressing his confidence that the number of countries responding to the call for help will increase in the coming hours and days, Lenarcic said that search and rescue teams will work in cities to rescue people trapped under rubble.

Lenarčić stated that they coordinated support under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, of which Turkey has been a member since 2016, and that some of the teams that will go to Turkey are on their way.

“We are in constant contact with Turkey regarding the deployment and dispatch of teams.” Lenarčić noted that they are ready for the additional support needed, that the Copernicus satellite service has also been activated for services such as mapping, and that emergency support for search and rescue efforts in Turkey has begun through satellite photography.

Lenarcic also said that there is a lot of damage in Syria and that they will provide support there through humanitarian aid programs.

EU Civil Protection Mechanism

In addition to the 27 EU countries, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism includes Iceland, Norway, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey. The mechanism is used for purposes such as preparing for and responding to natural disasters such as fire, flood, earthquake.

Any country facing a disaster, other than participating countries, can activate the mechanism. Turkey, which joined the mechanism established 20 years ago in 2016, has repeatedly responded to requests from various countries for assistance under the mechanism.

Responding to a request for help 5 times earlier, Turkey activated the mechanism for the third time in the morning with the latest earthquake in Kahramanmaras. The mechanism receives more than 100 requests annually.