Jokowi Asks the Temperature of the Areas Affected by the Turkey Earthquake, Inasar Team: It's 3 Degrees Celsius, It Feels Like in the Refrigerator Sir

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) greeted the Indonesian Search and Rescue Team (Inasar) directly via a video call connection.

Apart from the Inasar team who are on a humanitarian mission to help earthquake victims in Turkey, the Indonesian Ambassador to Turkey, Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, was also present at the Jakarta-Turkey communication.

The video call connection was made at the Office of the Jakarta National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) Command Center room, Thursday, February 16.

"How are things and conditions in Turkey?" asked President Jokowi, quoted from an official statement, Thursday, February 16.

The President was accompanied by the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung and Head of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) Marsdya TNI Henri Alfiandi.

"Thank God, all teams from Indonesia and the Indonesian Embassy are all in good health, Mr. President", replied the Inasar Team Leader in operations in Turkey as well as Head of Basarnas Sub-Directorate for Alert and Training, Yopi Haryadi.

"It looks really cold, what time is it in Turkey?", asked President Jokowi.

"It's really cold, Mr President. It's 3 degrees (celsius) here, but it feels like in the fridge, Mr President. It's 5 in the morning", Yopi replied.

President Jokowi then asked about the latest conditions in Turkey.

According to Yopi, currently, the death toll due to the earthquake in Turkey has exceeded 30 thousand victims. The Inasar team continued to go into the field to assist in the process of evacuating victims who were still crushed by collapsed buildings.

In his report, Yopi Heryadi said that the Inasar Team consisting of 48 personnel and 2 sniffer dogs arrived at Adana Airport on Monday, February 12 2023.

Upon arrival, the team immediately set up a base of operations or "base of operations" to then carry out search and rescue operations.

The Inasar team carried out searches in seven areas, namely in Sumeriah Mah, Antakiya, Haraparasi, Cekmece, Cebrail, Esenlik, and Electric.

So far, the Inasar Team has found and evacuated 12 victims.

In addition, Inasar has placed two personnel, acting as the reception and departure centre part of the United Nations to receive arrivals and returns from international USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) teams and one person at the USAR Coordination Cell as the centre for coordinating international SAR operations in Turkey.

To the Inasar Team, President Jokowi also said that he had communicated with the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, via telephone.

President Jokowi said that President Erdogan appreciated the fast work of the Inasar Team.

"Last night I also called, and spoke with President Erdogan about our team, our medical and SAR team who are already in Turkey and he expressed his appreciation because we were considered fast", he concluded.