Emergency Aid to Turkey for Earthquake Disaster Relief
(Dispatch of a rescue team and a medical team, as well as offering of emergency aid materials)

August 18, 1999

1. On August 17, the Government of Japan decided to dispatch a rescue team of Japan Disaster Relief Team (JDRT) for about a week to the Republic of Turkey, which was attacked by a major earthquake, as well as a JDRT medical team for approximately two weeks along with medicines and medical devices. It will consider supplying additional emergency aid materials as soon as it receives such a request from the Turkish Government.
   
   
2. Around 3 am, August 17 (local time), an earthquake registering 6.8 on the Richter Scale hit the northwestern part of Turkey (the seismic center was located near the city of Izmit, which is located 110km east of Istanbul). The earthquake caused a large number of casualties and material damages such as collapse of buildings. At the moment, local reports indicate that more than 800 were killed and nearly 7,000 injured.
   While conducting relief operations of its own, the Turkish Government asked for emergency assistance from the Japanese Government.
   
   
3. Considering the severity of the disaster and the friendly relationship between Japan and Turkey, Japan decided to extend this emergency assistance from a humanitarian viewpoint.
   
   
4. The first group of the rescue team of the JDRT left Narita at 10 pm on August 17 and will arrive in Istanbul at 2 pm, August 18 (local time). In addition, the second group will leave Narita at noon, August 18 and will arrive in Istanbul at 11 pm (local time). The medical team is also preparing for a departure on August 18.
   
   

   The Composition of the Rescue Team

   (The 1st group)     (The 2nd group) Head (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) 1     Fire Defense Agency 10     Fire Defense Agency 10 Maritime Safety Agency 3     Maritime Safety Agency 4 JICA 1     JICA 3

Related Information (Japan-Turkey Relations)