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No need for PH rescue team to extend stay in quake-hit Turkey, says OCD

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Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Rescuers work at the site of collapsed buildings after a powerful earthquake, in Hatay, Turkey, Feb. 13, 2023. More than 35,000 people have died and thousands more are injured after two major earthquakes struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on Feb. 6. Authorities fear the death toll will keep climbing as rescuers look for survivors across the region. Martin Divisek, EPA-EFE" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/overseas/02/15/20230215-rescue-quake-hatay-epa.jpg"/><figcaption>Rescuers work at the site of collapsed buildings after a powerful earthquake, in Hatay, Turkey, Feb. 13, 2023. More than 35,000 people have died and thousands more are injured after two major earthquakes struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on Feb. 6. Authorities fear the death toll will keep climbing as rescuers look for survivors across the region.<em> Martin Divisek, EPA-EFE</em></figcaption></figure></div><p><br/>MANILA — The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Thursday said there was no need for a Philippine team to extend its 2-week stay to help in the search, rescue and relief efforts in quake-hit Turkey.</p><p>OCD spokesperson Bernaardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV told reporters that as of writing, the Philippine rescue team still had a week left to assist Turkish authorities in finding survivors of the Feb. 6 magnitude 7.8 earthquake.</p><p>&quot;So far, we don&#x27;t see any need for them to extend,&quot; Alejandro said.</p><p>Since they started their operations in Adiyaman Province on Feb. 10, the 82-member response team has swept through 34 buildings destroyed by the quake in search for survivors.</p><p>But so far, they have only found corpses, Alejandro said.</p><p>“They are now on their sixth day. Tuluy-tuloy pa rin but medyo more on retrieval sila, mga dead bodies na lang ang na-re-retrieve,” the official said. </p><p>“Binisita na rin sila ng local authorities doon and they have expressed, ang local Turkish authorities, ang pasasalamat to our USAR and medical teams sa assistance we have been giving.”</p><p>(Their operations continue, but it&#x27;s now more on retrieval of bodies. Local authorities visited them and expressed thanks to our USAR and medical teams for the assistance we have been giving.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/16/23/remains-of-pinay-who-died-in-turkey-quake-brought-home">Remains of Pinay who died in Turkey quake brought home</a></li></ul><p>The Philippines’ emergency medical assistance team has catered to ambulatory cases and referrals requiring hospitalization, serving 256 patients from Feb. 11 to 15. </p><p>The team also continues to provide medical assistance to the Philippine contingent, ensuring the welfare of the team with standby doctors and nurses.</p><div><strong> HELP FOR SYRIA</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, the Philippine government is set to send a cash donation for the victims of the deadly quake in Syria.</p><p>Alejandro said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) was waiting for the donation&#x27;s approval, declining to specify its amount.</p><p>But he noted that the donation&#x27;s funds would either come from the DFA or the Office of the President.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/02/16/23/born-in-wartime-syrian-children-orphaned-by-quake">Born in wartime, Syrian children orphaned by quake</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/02/12/23/looters-raid-citys-shops-homes-after-turkey-quake">Looters raid city&#x27;s shops, homes after Turkey quake</a></li></ul><div> </div><p>OCD&#x27;s attached agency, the National Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), earlier said the Turkish government had stopped accepting help from international rescue teams, as the window to find survivors trapped in debris had lapsed.</p><p>Turkish rescue officials have converted their operations from &quot;search and rescue&quot; to &quot;search and retrieval&quot; of victims&#x27; remains.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/15/23/turkey-stops-accepting-help-from-intl-rescue-teams-ndrrmc">Quake-hit Turkey stops accepting help from international rescue teams: NDRRMC</a></li></ul><p>As of writing, the death toll from the powerful earthquake has reached <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/02/15/23/turkey-syria-quake-death-toll-nears-40000">nearly 40,000</a>.</p><div><strong> RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2451939" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

There was no need for a Philippine team to extend its two-week stay to help in search and rescue efforts in quake-hit Turkey, the OCD said.

No need for PH rescue team to extend stay in quake-hit Turkey, says OCD

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No need for PH rescue team to extend stay in quake-hit Turkey, says OCD

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 16, 2023 02:47 PM PHT

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Turkey

Syria

earthquake

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National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council

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