The UK government is today announcing further support to Turkey
and Syria following the devastating earthquakes. The UK will
provide vital items such as tents and blankets to help survivors
cope with the freezing conditions, as part of its immediate
response to the crisis. The equipment being urgently deployed
from the UK’s stockpile will meet the needs of up to 15,000
people.
The UK is also providing a world-class team of UK medics with
surgical capabilities and equipment to provide vital emergency
treatment.
The announcement comes in the critical 72 hours following the
first earthquake. The support will be used to urgently provide
life saving interventions to those who need it most in the region
as temperatures plummet.
The UK is coordinating closely with the Turkish government and
United Nations (UN) in Syria to ensure our support meets the
needs on the ground and that we can stay responsive to emerging
needs in the coming days.
Foreign Secretary said:
The UK is sending life saving kit to Turkey and Syria. This will
include vital medical expertise and hygiene kits and also tents
and blankets to help people keep warm and sheltered in the
terrible freezing conditions they are having to endure on top of
the devastation of the earthquakes.
Our priority is to ensure life saving assistance is given to
those most in need, coordinated with the Turkish government, UN
and international partners.
The UK is prioritising what the Turkish government and UN are
asking for. The additional support will save lives by bringing
world-class UK expertise and equipment to the region.
This £8 million of additional support comes after a team of 77 UK search and
rescue specialists, equipment and four search dogs arrived in
Gaziantep yesterday to begin their life saving
operations.
Their specialist skills and state-of-the-art heavy duty equipment
will allow the UK team to cut their way into buildings and locate
survivors in the rubble during this vital time.
The government remains in contact with British humanitarian
workers in the affected areas, and we stand ready to assist any
British nationals affected.
