Czechia ready to send more aid to Turkey, says Lipavský

Czechia is ready to extend the 10-day stay of a search and rescue team in earthquake-hit Turkey and to send more financial and material aid, the minister of foreign affairs, Jan Lipavský, said on Wednesday. Prague will proceed according to requests from Turkey, he told reporters.

Czechia will send generators and sleeping bags to Turkey next week and is monitoring further requests, Mr. Lipavský said after a cabinet meeting. A 68-person Czech rescue is working around the clock in the city of Adiyaman, trying to free people trapped under destroyed buildings.

The foreign minister said Czechia would also send aid to Syria, which was hit by the same earthquakes, but that this would be via international aid agencies in view of the complicated situation in the country.