HK, Shenzhen send teams to Turkiye

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and a Shenzhen volunteers association have sent search and rescue teams to Turkiye, which suffered a magnitude 7.8 quake along with Syria on Monday.

The earthquake is Turkiye's deadliest since 1999. As of Thursday, the two countries had recorded a death toll of over 15,000.

On Thursday afternoon, the 59-member rescue team dispatched by the Hong Kong government arrived in Istanbul and will soon go to the epicenter Adana.

Led by Yiu Men-yeung, deputy chief fire officer of the Fire Services Department, the team has 49 members from the FSD's urban search and rescue team, including firemen, ambulancemen and fire services workshops personnel, as well as officers from the security bureau, the immigration department and the department of health.

The team is taking two search dogs and approximately 8 metric tons of equipment, which includes life detectors and masonry cutting machines.

HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, who is currently visiting the United Arab Emirates, thanked the rescue team for its professionalism and efforts to save lives.

"The HKSAR government will fully support the team and ensure they complete the mission smoothly," Lee wrote on his social media account.

According to Chief Secretary for Administration Chan Kwok-ki, who saw the team off at the airport, the HKSAR government joined the rescue operation at the request of the Turkish government. So far the SAR government has received no reports of Hong Kong residents suffering from the disaster.

Karen Poon, acting head of International and Relief Service of the Hong Kong Red Cross, told a local radio program that after the major quake, the disaster area suffered more than 300 aftershocks. Rescue work was delayed by cold weather and snowstorms and residents are short of first aid and cold weather supplies. Major roads were also blocked by debris, making it difficult to deliver supplies.

She also mentioned the lack of large rescue machinery in earthquake-hit Syria, where 300,000 refugees are living in makeshift camps.

The Hong Kong branch is ready to send members to assist in the mission and is in discussions with the International Red Cross, she said.

Separately on Wednesday and Thursday, the Shenzhen Rescue Volunteers Federation sent two rescue teams to Turkiye.

The six-member team includes five members with international rescue experience, and one Turkish volunteer who will be responsible for translation and coordination throughout the process.

The following 17-member team brought 1.7 tons of heavy equipment. The teams will carry out at least one week of post-earthquake search and rescue work.

The Shenzhen Rescue Volunteers Federation is a member of the Greater Bay Area Security Emergency Industry Alliance. Yin Lefang, the head of the alliance told China Daily that the alliance will continue to deliver supplies including life detection and water purification equipment. She said many non-governmental Chinese rescue organizations promptly responded to the disaster, reflecting China's development in emergency aid.