The Portuguese team sent to Turkey is already conducting search and rescue missions after the country’s earthquake, the interior minister said on Friday, deeming it “premature” to equate a reinforcement of the contingent.
“The information we have is that they have a good reputation. They are already active in different sectors of intervention. These are search and rescue operations,” José Luís Carneiro told journalists.
The official was speaking in Ponta Delgada, after that day’s military ceremony of the Territorial Command of the National Guard of the Republic of the Azores.
José Luís Carneiro, questioned by the media, said it was “premature” to consider strengthening the Portuguese team in that country, stressing that the decisions were taken within the framework of the European Civil Protection Mechanism.
“The number of elements that make up this force was the result of an articulation. It was not a decision by Portugal. It was a decision developed within the framework of the European Civil Protection Mechanism,” he stated.
And he added: “At the moment it is premature to say whether or not it is necessary to strengthen and for how long they will remain in operations or not. It is a decision that will depend heavily on this cooperative relationship between the National Emergency and National Civil Protection Authority and the European Civil Protection Mechanism.”
A team of 53 Civil Defense, GNR and medical emergencies left for Turkey on Wednesday to support search and rescue after Monday’s earthquake, which has already claimed more than 23,000 lives in Turkish and Syrian territory.
The mission is expected to last 10 to 15 days, but could be extended depending on what the team finds on the ground and depending on Portuguese foreign policy, the president of the National Authority for Emergencies and Civil Protection (ANEPC) said this week.
This force is made up of agents from ANEPC, the National Republican Guard, the Sapadores Firefighters Regiment and the National Institute of Medical Emergency, and the humanitarian assistance stems from the request for international assistance from the Turkish authorities through the Civil Protection Mechanism of the European Union.
In addition to the 53 elements, Portugal will also send search and rescue equipment, but no heavy equipment.
Syria and Turkey were hit by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake in the early hours of Monday, followed by several aftershocks, one of which measured 7.5.
Source: DN
