Chinese company helps with Turkiye quake aftermath

A rescue team from a Chinese company has helped with earthquake relief work in Turkiye.

The Turkish branch of Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science and Technology was one of the first to send workers and equipment to the worst-hit province, Hatay, on Tuesday, after two 7.8 magnitude earthquakes hit Turkiye on Monday.

The team has saved about 20 trapped people as of 8 pm on Wednesday.

Huang Yunbing, an engineer at the company, and he and his colleagues trudged 16 hours to reach the disaster area. What he saw was complete devastation and ruins, he said, adding that some local rescuers were calling loudly into wreckage, hoping to receive a response.

More than 25 Zoomlion excavators are functioning in different regions. Because of power cuts, some professional tools cannot be used. Rescuers had to use hammers, awls and shovels. It took three hours for them to save the first trapped person.

Huang said more people and equipment are expected to arrive.