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Russian Emergencies Minister instructs to send additional group of rescuers to Turkey

In total, over 100 Russian Emergencies Ministry’s rescuers have already arrived in Turkey

MOSCOW, February 8. /TASS/. An additional group of rescuers will be sent to earthquake-stricken Turkey by order of Russian Emergencies Minister Alexander Kurenkov, the ministry’s press service told TASS on Wednesday.

"The head of the Russian Emergencies Ministry Alexander Kurenkov ordered to send an additional group of rescuers to Turkey. At the moment, the rescuers are being prepared for the flight to the emergency zone," the press service said.

In total, over 100 Russian Emergencies Ministry’s rescuers have arrived in Turkey. They are now carrying out search and rescue work in the province of Kahramanmaras, which was hit the hardest. Earlier, Russian Deputy Emergencies Minister Daniil Martynov said that the ministry was considering to reinforce its group in the earthquake zone in Turkey. For his part, Russian First Deputy Emergencies Minister Alexander Chupriyan said that Russian rescuers would work in Turkey until the authorities complete the search and rescue operation.

A 7.7-magnitude hit the Kahramanmaras province in southeastern Turkey on Monday. The tremors, which were followed by about 300 aftershocks, were felt in ten provinces, as well as in neighboring countries, including Syria. According to the latest data, over 5,800 people were killed in Turkey.