Tajik rescuers return from quake-hit Türkiye

A team of rescuers from Tajikistan, which carried out search and rescue activities in the Turkish regions affected by the Feb. 6 earthquakes, returned to their country on Wednesday.

According to information obtained from the Tajikistan Embassy in Ankara, the search and rescue team of 50 people started working in the earthquake zones on Feb. 9, upon the instruction of Tajik President Imamali Rahman.

The team rescued five people from the rubble during the search and rescue operations in Kahramanmaras and Hatay, and found the bodies of 217 people.

The team was seen off with applause at Istanbul Airport.

At least 42,310 people have died in the two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye on Feb. 6, according to the country's disaster management agency.

In Syria, at least 5,840 people have been killed in the deadly earthquakes.