VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) has dispatched a medical team to support evacuation and recovery efforts in Turkiye following the February 6, 2023, earthquake in the country.

"Yes, it is the medical team that is part of the national team. The PMI has dispatched five health officers (consisting of) doctors, nurses, and X-ray experts to Turkiye," PMI Chairperson Jusuf Kalla informed at the Turkish embassy here on Friday.

The decision to dispatch a medical team is an expression of solidarity with Turkiye, he said, adding that PMI is ready to extend a helping hand in disaster response and rehabilitation operations anywhere.

The PMI has also sent US$100 thousand in aid to Turkiye, he added.

According to Kalla, the medical team will work in Turkiye until the conclusion of the emergency response period, and the team is ready to carry out strategic measures during the recovery and reconstruction operations.

"The disaster (response teams) will start from the emergency response team, then the rehabilitation team, and the reconstruction team. Our first assistance will be for emergency response, and our future assistance will be in the form of housing," the PMI head said.

He then asked the Indonesian people to get involved in assisting earthquake victims in Turkiye and Syria by donating money, saying that any amount they donate would be helpful and benefit earthquake victims.

He also highlighted the need to repay the kindness the Turkish people showed Indonesia during the 2004 earthquake and tsunami in Aceh in various forms.

"Turkish contribution to Aceh is huge; they helped the reconstruction of up to one thousand houses, so we need to help each other," he said.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian embassy in Turkiye has sent another evacuation convoy from Ankara to Diyarbakir, Sanliurfa, Hatay, and Gaziantep regions for three days to search for and evacuate Indonesian nationals.

"We have received new requests to evacuate 12 Indonesians from earthquake-affected regions," the embassy's trade attaché and evacuation team head, Eric Gokasi Nababan, said on Friday.

The embassy has also distributed 179 aid packages for Indonesians who have decided to stay behind in their regions and need logistics assistance. (Antaranews)