Today, The Indonesian National Search And Rescue Agency (Basarnas RI) Flying 47 Personnel For Post-Security Handling Of The M 7.8 Turkey

Indonesian citizens in the Turkish Kahramanmaras who were affected by the earthquake were collected and recorded by the Indonesian Embassy. (doc KBRI-VOI)

JAKARTA - A total of 47 personnel from the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) were deployed in post-earthquake handling in Turkey. This was in response to the request of the Turkish state government.

Basarnas Director of Preparedness Agus Haryono said personnel were deployed to assist in the search and rescue of victims as a result of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake (M) that rocked Turkey.

"We will send a joint SAR team of 47 people consisting of the Basarnas team, the TNI-Polri, the Ministry of Health. We will provide search and rescue assistance for victims who are thought to be still hit by collapsed buildings or buildings," Agu said in Jakarta, Wednesday, February 8, as reported by Antara.

The personnel, said Agus, will depart this afternoon at Halim Perdana Kusuma Airport, Jakarta, on an Indonesian Air Force plane.

Those departing have met the medium class qualification from INSARAG (International SAR Advisory Group), a agency below the United Nations that handles earthquake problems.

"We have assessed with the INSARAG team, our capabilities are both in terms of management, search and rescue, facilities and infrastructure, medical equipment and so on. Everything has been assessed by them and has been declared to meet the requirements, so that we can be assisted to help our brothers," said Agus.

Personnel and equipment of the search and rescue personnel sent from Indonesia are specifically for collapsed buildings, in order to search and rescue victims from the ruins of the building.

Searcher tools such as life detectors to detect body heat. We also carry sniffer dogs from the Directorate of Animal Police at the National Police Headquarters, two K9," said Agus.

In addition, the Indonesian SAR team also used bridging and cutting equipment to cut concrete, cut iron, and break the wall, to make access for earthquake victims crushed by the rubble due to the earthquake.

No less important is the vibration detection tool to monitor aftershocks. Agus said operating in the rubble was one of the dangerous tasks. If aftershocks occur, the safety officer will immediately pull the team to a safe place.

Basarnas' search and rescue task will later be coordinated from the INSARAG secretariat point in Turkey, along with the SAR team from other countries.