After the earthquake in Turkiye, local residents expressed sincere gratitude to the first group of the Korea Emergency Relief Team (KDRT), which was dispatched to the region to carry out rescue activities and move to a safe area.
According to the relief team on the 15th (local time), the first group of the relief team left the camp at Selim Anadolu High School in Antakya, Hatay Province, southern Turkey, and departed for Adana, a relatively safe area.
Upon hearing the news, residents came to the campsite to say hello to the relief team, and wrote a thank-you note on the tent that the relief team had decided to donate.
One resident wrote “Thank you hyung” in Korean. “Brother country” was written in Korean, and next to it was written “Brother country, Korea and Turkey” in Turkish.
In response, our relief workers also wrote words of consolation and hope in Korean and English, hoping that Turkiye would overcome the disaster as soon as possible, restore daily life, and develop bilateral relations.
The first group of 118 rescuers departed for Turkey on the 7th and started rescue activities in Antakya, Hatay Province, one of the most affected areas, from the 9th.
They saved a total of 8 survivors and recovered 19 bodies, including the time when the golden time had passed.
However, it was decided to switch missions with the second group as they suffered from poor activity conditions such as severe cold and cut off electricity and water supply, and even worsened local security.
It has been reported that about 16 countries have already made a decision to withdraw aid teams as the possibility of rescuing survivors has become slim.
After arriving in Anada, the first rescue team is scheduled to leave Turkey on the 17th and arrive in Seoul on the 18th.
The 2nd group, with 21 members, departed for Adana, Turkey by military transport plane on the night of the 16th, and will be active for about 7 days. They plan to help victims of the disaster while identifying demand for reconstruction and support projects.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.