China's Red Cross sends rescuers, supplies to Syria earthquake zone

BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) on Thursday morning dispatched a team of rescue workers with its first batch of medical supplies to Syria to assist the earthquake-hit country in rescue operations.

Rescue workers remove a body from the rubble of a destroyed building in the Rihawi area in Latakia province, northwestern Syria, on Feb. 8, 2023. (Photo: Xinhua)

The RCSC sent the supplies at the request of the Syrian Embassy and the Syrian Red Crescent, which will meet the needs of up to 5,000 people.

After strong earthquakes jolted Türkiye and Syria on Monday, the RCSC has provided the Turkish Red Crescent and the Syrian Red Crescent with 200,000 U.S. dollars in cash respectively as emergency humanitarian assistance.

The RCSC said it will keep abreast of the humanitarian needs in the disaster-stricken areas in the two countries and pledged to offer humanitarian aid to the best of its ability.