Georgia, Tbilisi, Oct. 24 / Trend , N.Kirtskhalia /
Georgia is ready to assist Turkey by offering relief with the quake that jolted the Van province. A Georgian rescue squad of 40 men fully equipped with technical expertise is ready for immediate dispatch to the stricken area.
Head of the Georgian Interior Ministry's Analytical Department Shota Utiashvili said agreement to go out has not been made as Turkey has not yet asked for assistance.
He said: "Probably medicine s and other essentials will be sent, but the Turkish emergency services have not yet made a decision about sending rescuers."
Meanwhile, the Georgian Embassy in Turkey reported that no Georgians were feared missing among the victims of the devastating earthquake. Senior adviser to the Georgian Embassy in Turkey Zurab Batiashvili said the embassy regularly receives information about victims from the Crisis Management Centre.
The earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale jolted Van city in Turkey at 3:41 pm. Tremors were felt in Diyarbekir, Batman, Sirnak, Mus, Erzurum, Bingol, Bitlis, Siirt, Mardin towns. There is extensive damage and human casualties and according to the Turkish media outlets, the death toll could reach 1000.
Some Georgians including Ketevan Gurashvili and Lia Borashvili, were at the epicenter of the earthquake, but neither was affected although both have lost their documents and now need basic help. So, after appealing to the Embassy to help them return home it was agreed all possible assistance would be given.