Georgian rescuers to help in Turkey quake aftermath in PM decision

Earlier today the PM sent his “deepest sympathies” to the Government and citizens of Turkey after the 7.9-magnitude earthquake killed at least 284 and left more than 2,300 injured in the country early on Monday. Photo: Government Administration

Agenda.ge, 06 Feb 2023 - 14:08, Tbilisi,Georgia

Georgian professionals will help with rescue efforts in the aftermath of the major earthquake in Turkey, after Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday said the Government would send crews and equipment to the country.

Garibashvili said the rescue groups and their hardware would be sent to the affected locations in Turkey “in the next few hours”, with crews from the Special and Emergency Operations Centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to be involved in the assistance.

Earlier today the PM sent his “deepest sympathies” to the Government and citizens of Turkey after the 7.9-magnitude earthquake killed at least 284 and left more than 2,300 injured in the country early on Monday.

The earthquake struck just after 4 am local time, 23 kilometres east of Nurdağı in Gaziantep province, CNN cited the United States Geological Survey as saying. 

The city is located near the Turkey-Syria border, with the shockwaves felt in several countries of the region, including Syria and Lebanon. The latest figures put the combined death toll in Turkey and Syria at 568.