Azernews.Az

By News Centre

A 75-member Turkish search and rescue team dispatched to Venezuela in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes is continuing to support emergency operations across the affected areas. The contingent, comprising personnel from Türkiye's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), the National Medical Rescue Team (UMKE), and the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay), is operating with fully equipped vehicles and search-and-rescue dogs, conducting uninterrupted missions on a 24-hour basis.

Haluk Erten, Deputy Director of AFAD's Denizli Provincial Directorate and the official in charge of the Turkish rescue mission in Venezuela, said the scale of destruction caused by the earthquake immediately reminded him of the February 6, 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye.

"Disasters produce the same painful scenes no matter where in the world they occur," Erten said. "We also served in Kahramanmaraş and Hatay during the February 6 earthquakes. Here, we are witnessing the same devastation, the same suffering, and the same sense of helplessness in people's eyes. The damage to the buildings is almost identical."

Erten said the Turkish search and rescue team arrived in Venezuela on the evening of June 27.

"From the moment we landed at Simon Bolivar International Airport, the Embassy of Türkiye in Caracas stood by us throughout every stage of the process," he noted. "We established our main camp at the container port where international rescue teams are stationed and registered with the United Nations Search and Rescue Coordination Center (UCC), requesting an operational assignment. Within 15 minutes, our teams had reached the debris sites allocated to them and immediately began search and rescue operations."

According to Erten, many earthquake survivors remain on the streets because they are unable to return to their homes.

"Everyone is waiting for hopeful news about their loved ones trapped beneath the rubble," he said. "Even during these difficult days, the Venezuelan people have shown us tremendous hospitality. They patiently follow our work and try to support us in every possible way."

Providing an update on the ongoing rescue efforts, Erten said the acute phase of the disaster response had largely ended.

"So far, our teams have not found any survivors; we have only encountered those who lost their lives," he said. "However, we treat every report we receive as though there may still be a living person trapped inside and respond with the same level of sensitivity and determination."

He added that, in accordance with instructions from Venezuela's Emergency Management Agency, the recovery of bodies is being carried out by local teams.

"When we locate a deceased individual, we inform the relevant authorities and proceed to our next assignment," he explained.

Erten also stressed that security conditions in the affected region remain under control.

"The Venezuelan government is managing the process effectively. Our teams can safely access disaster sites and carry out their missions without difficulty," he said.

According to Erten, Turkish rescue teams have earned widespread appreciation in Venezuela because of their continuous operations.

"We work without interruption on a 24-hour basis. While some foreign teams do not operate at night, our personnel continue their missions day and night. This has further strengthened the Venezuelan people's sympathy and appreciation for Türkiye and our teams."

"Everywhere we go, people thank us and ask whether we need anything," he added.