Kazakh rescuers return from Afghanistan
45 Kazakh rescuers sent to Afghanistan for the liquidation of the devastating earthquake consequences in the province of Herat have returned home, Kazinform News Agency reports.
The group consisting of rescuers, canine specialists of the Republican Operational Rescue Troop, doctors and paramedics of the Center of the Emergency Medicine left for Afghanistan on October 10.
Led by Ularbek Abykeyev, Acting Chairman of the Civil Defense Committee of the Ministry of Emergencies, the rescuers fulfilled the set tasks with honor and dignity.
The team provided medical support to 83 local citizens, cleared the debris of 211 fragments of houses and examined all 700 sites of destroyed houses in Naib Rafi. A body of a dead child was pulled out from the rubble.
The rescuers also inspected a tent camp destroyed by a strong dust storm as well as Siyahan and Cholk settlements.
Colleagues, relatives and family members welcomed the rescuers at the airport.
Search-and-rescue dogs called Charlie, Jakob and Euro were awarded with special medals from Lider.kz volunteer movement.
Vice Minister of Emergencies Yerlan Nurpeissov greeted the participants of the humanitarian mission. He noted the importance of international rescue operations which help Kazakhstani specialists upgrade their professionalism and improve work skills in different situations.
Afghan authorities thanked Kazakhstanis for the assistance in elimination of the consequences of the devastating earthquake.
"We will remember the invaluable assistance that Kazakhstan has provided to us in difficult times," Mohajer Sahib, representative of the Ministry of Culture and Information of Afghanistan said addressing the rescuers before their departure.
