NEW DELHI: An Indian employee of a company in Bengaluru, who was on a business trip to Turkiye, has been missing ever since a pre-dawn earthquake struck the country and neighbouring Syria on Monday and left over 11,700 people dead.
“One Indian who was on a business trip to Turkiye is missing. We hope to get some information on him. There were 3,000 Indians in Turkiye and all of them are safe. Around 10 are stuck in different parts of the country due to break down of services but they are all in a safe zone. Our mission in Ankara has set up a help desk. Until now, around 75 people have reached out for information,’’ said Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
In all, 65 nations have sent teams for relief and rescue in Turkiye. The MEA has deployed two Turkish speaking officers and four other personnel who are working with Turkish authorities. Around 250 Indians are on the ground helping in relief, which includes women. Besides, 130 tonnes of relief supplies have already been sent to Turkiye.
As for Syria, one relief aircraft has been sent there. Sanctions don’t apply during disasters, so India has sent relief to Damascus. “We follow the G20 mantra of one earth, one family. This is no time for geo strategies. If Syria is in crisis we will help, sanctions don’t cover such challenges,’’ Verma added.