85 Georgian rescuers leave for Turkey for rotation to aid quake victims

A new group of 85 Georgian professionals left for Turkey’s city of Adıyaman worst affected by the deadly quake, for the rotation, to replace the rescuers on the site and ensure aid for the country in its frantic rescue efforts, Georgian Emergency Management Service said on Tuesday.

The Service noted the heads of the operating groups carrying out the search and rescue operations in Adıyaman, as well as the specialised rescuers, would continue working at the site, with Teimuraz Mghebrishvili, the head of the Georgian Emergency Management Service, coordinating their actions in cooperation with the operational control centre of the city.

The new group of emergency workers had been trained in rescue and firefighting operations, the body said, adding the team was also equipped with modern acoustic devices, drones, and communication vehicles.

By the decision of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday the Government allocated ₾1 million ($374,000) from its reserve fund to deliver medicine, food, clothes, medical equipment, and other necessities for the survivors of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake. 

More than 100 Georgian professionals left for Turkey on February 6 and 8, following the PM’s instructions, to provide aid for the neighbouring country in search and rescue efforts in the aftermath of the latest massive quake that killed at least 31,974 people.