A Portuguese team deployed to Turkey is already active in search and rescue missions following the country’s earthquake, the interior minister said this Friday, who deemed it “premature” to equate the troop’s increase.
“We have information that they are in good standing. They are already operating in different sectors of intervention. These are search and rescue operations,” José Luis Carneiro told reporters.
The official spoke in Ponta Delgada after a daytime military ceremony of the Territorial Command of the National Guard of the Republic of the Azores.
Answering questions from the media, José Luis Carneiro considered it “premature” to consider strengthening the Portuguese team in this country, stressing that the decisions were made within the framework of the European Civil Protection Mechanism.
“The number of elements that make up this force was the result of articulation. This was not the decision of Portugal. This solution was developed within the framework of the European Civil Protection Mechanism,” he said.
He added: “It is premature now to talk about whether reinforcements are needed or not, and how long they will remain in effect or not. This decision will largely depend on the cooperative relationship between the National Emergency National Civil Protection Authority and the European Civil Protection Mechanism.”
A group of 53 civil protection, GNR and emergency medical personnel traveled to Turkey on Wednesday to support search and rescue efforts following Monday’s earthquake that killed more than 5,000 people.
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 Portugal’s foreign policy, the president of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) said this week. .
This force is made up of ANEPC operatives, the National Republican Guard, the Sapadores Fire Regiment and the National Emergency Medical Institute, and the humanitarian assistance stems from a request for international assistance made by the Turkish authorities through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism. Union.
In addition to the 53 items, Portugal will also send search and rescue equipment, but not heavy equipment.
Syria and Turkey were hit early Monday by an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, followed by several aftershocks, one of which had a magnitude of 7.5.
The earthquakes have already claimed the lives of more than 21,000 people, of which about 19,400 in Turkey and at least 3,380 in Syria.