Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday, February 7, said his government is setting up a helpline to come to the aid of people from the state, in the earthquake-hit Turkey. He said the state government is in touch with the External Affairs Ministry and Indian Embassy to gather information regarding Kannadiagas there. "We are in touch with the External Affairs Ministry, they are setting up a special helpline, we are also gathering information regarding Kannadigas there through the Ministry and the Embassy in Turkey," Bommai said.
Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister said the state government will also be setting up a help line here. "If people share information about their family members there in Turkey, our government will try to reach out and help them, and will also make all required arrangements for them to come back (to India) if required," he added.
The earthquake of magnitude 7.8 on Monday, February 6, killed more than 4,000 people and flattened thousands of buildings in Turkey and neighbouring Syria. The earthquake struck Turkey's southern province of Kahramanmaras at 4.17 am on Monday, February 6 morning, which was followed by a 6.4-magnitude temblor a few minutes later in Gaziantep province. The epicentre of the 7.8-magnitude quake was 23 km east of Nurdagi in Gaziantep, at a depth of 24.1 km, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. Reports said that the earthquake was felt as far away as Cairo.
A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team from India on Tuesday departed for Turkey to help in relief and rescue operations. A total of 101 personnel from two teams based in Ghaziabad near Delhi and Kolkata along with equipment have boarded an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 aircraft to Turkey, an NDRF officer told PTI. This is part of the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) measures announced by the Indian government on Monday for the earthquake-hit Turkey and neighbouring areas, the officer said.