EU 19 country team to Turkey

The European Union (EU) updated to 19 the number of countries that sent search and rescue and medical teams from Europe to Turkey due to the earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş.

Janez Lenarcic, the EU commissioner responsible for crisis management, civil protection and humanitarian aid, said on his Twitter account that 27 medical and search and rescue teams were sent from 19 countries within the scope of the Civil Protection Mechanism of The EU.

Noting that these countries are Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Italy, Hungary, Austria, Germany, Estonia, Spain, Malta, Slovakia, Portugal, Montenegro and Albania, Lanercic added that a total of 1150 people and 70 people in the teams. He said the dog was found.

First, 10 countries offered assistance, then this number increased to 13 and 17.

In addition to 27 EU countries, Iceland, Norway, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey are included in the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The mechanism is used for purposes such as preparation for and response to natural disasters such as fires, floods, earthquakes.

Any country facing a disaster other than the participating countries can activate the mechanism. Turkey, which joined the 20-year-old mechanism in 2016, has responded many times to requests for assistance from various countries within the mechanism.

In response to the request for assistance 5 times before, Turkey activated the mechanism for the third time with the latest earthquake in Kahramanmaraş. The mechanism receives more than 100 applications each year. (AA)