The Cypriot rescue mission that was ready to leave for Turkey Thursday afternoon is on standby, after information received by the Foreign Ministry from the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
The mission was scheduled to depart this afternoon for Turkey to participate in the search and rescue efforts after the 7.8 Richter earthquake that was recorded in the country in the early hours on Monday.
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Demetris Demetriou told CNA that the Cypriot team is on “standby, ready to move and contribute to the efforts of the rescue teams when needed.”
As he said, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was informed by the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. that there are enough rescue teams in the area. However, he emphasized that it is a situation that is “changing from minute to minute”.
Civil Defence spokesman, Panayiotis Liasidis, told CNA that the mission was expecting an aircraft from Romania, which would pick up the Cypriot rescuers. He said that 17 people in total were to man the mission. Specifically, 15 people will be sent from the Civil Defence, while a doctor and a nurse from the Health Services will also be part of the mission.
The mission will take food, which they must have with them in the first days, as well as medical equipment, which the medical team will use.
Meanwhile, a campaign to collect humanitarian aid for those affected by the deadly earthquake in Turkey and Syria is being carried out by the Commissioner for the Citizen’s Office in cooperation with the Civil Defence.
According to a press release issued on Wednesday, the effort is made in cooperation with all the competent services of the state and is supported by local government bodies, as well as organizations. The aid collection campaign began today, 9 February and will continue until Friday, February 17th.
The items that can be donated include dry food (e.g. cans, grains, pasta, biscuits, flour, macaroni, milk powder for children/baby food), sleeping bags and mattresses, blankets, winter clothing and shoes, personal hygiene items, cleaning/disinfecting items, and diapers for both children and adults.
Collections points are located in Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Pafos as well as Trimiklini, Agios Ambrosios, Polis Chrysochous, Liopetri, Sotira, Derynia, Paralimni, Livadia, Aradippou.
Source: Cyprus News Agency