Azerbaijan, Baku, March 11 /Trend/
Turkish Red Crescent will send a team to Japan which was hit by a massive earthquake on Friday, Anadolu News Agency reported.
Turkish Red Crescent released a written statement and said it would send a team to quake hit region, noting a crisis desk was established in Disaster Operation Center in Ankara to pursue the developments.
The statement said Red Crescent was ready to send assistance to Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Russia and Hawaii which were affected by the massive earthquake.
"Turkish Red Crescent closely monitors the developments in the region with the Red Cross organizations of the related countries. Three Turkish teams will depart from Istanbul today for Japan," the statement said.
A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 8.9 hit Japan's north-east coast. The quake's epicentre is thought to have been 20 km below the ocean off Miyagi prefecture. It shook buildings in the capital Tokyo, some 300 km away. The quake unleashed a 4-meter tsunami that swept boats, cars, buildings and tons of debris miles inland. Fires triggered by the quake are still burning out of control up and down the coast, including one at an oil refinery.