Earthquake: NATO flags fly half-mast in solidarity with ally Turkey

Brussels [Belgium], February 8 (ANI): Flags of all 30 member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) flew at half-mast at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels in honour of those who lost their lives in the devastating earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria earlier this week.

The flag of NATO flew at half mast on Tuesday after a deadly 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Turkey on Monday, CNN reported. “All flags at NATO Headquarters are at half-mast today in solidarity with our Ally #Turkiye,” NATO said in a tweet.

NATO has sent aid in the form of medical personnel to Turkey, a member of the 30-nation alliance, in the form of medical personnel and supplies.

More than 1400 response personnel from more than 20 NATO allies have been deployed to quake-hit Turkey for rescue operations.

“Over 1,400 emergency response personnel from more than twenty #NATO Allies and partners – including invitees Finland and Sweden – are deploying to Turkiye, helping to respond to the devastating earthquakes which struck the country,” the official Twitter handle of NATO tweeted.

India is extending its support to Turkey and Syria through the ongoing crisis after the earthquake.

On Tuesday, the first Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 flight carrying National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel, a specially trained dog squad along with necessary equipment, including medical supplies, drilling machines and other equipment required for the aid efforts reached Turkey.

Also, a flight carrying 6.5 tons of emergency relief assistance consisting of life-saving medicines and emergency medical items took off for Syria on Tuesday night.

Several other countries have come forward to aid and assist Turkey after a massive earthquake shattered lives in the country.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on Tuesday, declared a three-month state of emergency in 10 southern provinces which were hit by massive quakes, Anadolu Agency reported.

While addressing the State Information Coordination Center in the capital Ankara, Erdogan said, “Based on the authority given to us by Article 119 of the Constitution, we decided to declare a state of emergency.”

“We will quickly complete the presidential and parliamentary processes about the state of emergency decision, which will cover 10 provinces where earthquakes have occurred and will last for three months,” he added.

Erdogan made his comments after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the Kahramanmaras province’s Pazarcik district early on Monday, followed about nine hours later by a 7.6-magnitude earthquake that rocked the area and had an impact on several other provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa.

The earthquake was also felt in several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon.