The European Union is sending rescue teams and preparing further help for Turkey after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake killed hundreds of people, Agence France-Presse reported, citing the bloc’s crisis management commissioner on Monday.
“Teams from the Netherlands and Romania are already on their way,” with the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre overseeing their deployment, commissioner Janez Lenarcic tweeted.
In the wake of the earthquake in #Turkey this morning, we have activated the #EUCivilProtectionMechanism.
The EU's Emergency Response Coordination Centre is coordinating the deployment of rescue teams from Europe.
Teams from the #Netherlands & #Romania are already on their way.
— Janez Lenarčič (@JanezLenarcic) February 6, 2023
Turkey has declared a fourth level emergency and asked for international assistance through the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre.
He said that the bloc’s Civil Protection Mechanism had been activated to respond to the quake, which hit Turkey and Syria, causing deaths and destruction in both countries.
His office said that Turkey had requested EU assistance.
Several governments in the EU pledged help, including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Belgium, Poland, Spain and Finland also said they stood ready to deploy teams and help.
The 7.8-magnitude quake struck early on Monday near the Turkish city of Gaziantep, which is home to around two million people and on the border with Syria.
