Canada sends rescue teams to help search in Turkey, Syria

Canada is sending multiple search and rescue teams to help find survivors in Turkey and Syria in the wake of the deadliest earthquake to hit in a decade.

Turkey’s consul general Taylan Tokmak says members of Vancouver’s Burnaby Urban Search and Rescue Team reached out to authorities immediately on Monday.

The consulate sprang into action and helped to arrange travel and accreditation for each member through Turkey’s disaster management authority.

READ MORE:  Turkey, Syria earthquake deadliest seismic event in 10 years

The team of urban search and rescue specialists from British Columbia has met with other international rescue teams in Turkey’s earthquake zone.

The Canadian government has announced $10 million in aid to support earthquake relief efforts, as one Turkish official described the search as a race against time to find survivors in frigid cold.

READ MORE: Canada to give $10M in aid after deadly Turkey-Syria earthquake

The government announced yesterday that it has also deployed a national disaster assessment team to Turkey.

International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan says the Canadian Disaster Assessment Team is made up of officials from Global Affairs as well as military personnel and will work to determine how Canada can contribute to relief efforts.