Operation Dost: Indian responders get noticed for rescue and relief work in quake-hit Turkey and Syria

NEW DELHI: Team of Indian responders and medical staff deployed in quake-hit Turkey under Operation Dost are being appreciated for their valiant efforts in rescuing trapped people and treatment of the injured.
The news of NDRF personnel rescuing an 8-year-old girl alive from under the rubble in Nurdagi, Gaziantep on Friday found mention in the international media as well.
Over 250 Indian personnel from NDRF and the Army are now engaged in rescue and relief work in Turkey and Syria.
Indian Army personnel have opened a field hospital in Hatay province for treatment of the injured. The 99-member team deployed at the hospital includes 13 doctors, ortho and general surgeons, community medicine specialists, logistic officers, and three medical officers.

“We received 350 patients yesterday and 200 patients since this morning,” said Lt Col Adarsh, second-in-command of the 60 Para Field Hospital.
Speaking of a particularly challenging case, Col Adarsh said, “We had people who were pulled out of the rubble after 3 days. We stabilised them and are providing all help. We performed a 3.5-hour-long difficult surgery at 3.30am the day before, the patient is stable and was referred to tertiary care today in Adana.”
Those who received treatment at the makeshift facility expressed their gratitude.
“I am really grateful to them because they are the first group that arrived. It was the first time that I met a group of people from India and I can’t explain my feelings. I call them ‘dost’ but I see them like brothers and sisters,” said Furkaan, a Turkish national.

Virander Paul, India’s ambassador to Turkey, visited the facility on Friday.

However there was also some sombre news for India on Saturday, as the body of an engineer reported missing since last Monday was pulled out from under the rubble of a collapsed hotel.
Vijay Kumar (35), a native of Pauri Garhwal in Uttarakhand, was in Malatya on an official assignment since January 23. The hotel where he lodged collapsed in the quake. His relatives in India identified his body by a tattoo and matching it with pictures sent from the site.
The Indian embassy said it is making arrangements for the earliest possible transportation of his mortal remains to his family.