Turkey earthquake: Sudan sends aid with 40 member search and rescue team

Sudan has sent a 40-member search and rescue team to Turkey to support disaster relief efforts after devastating earthquakes that have left thousands dead, and several thousands injured with many in critical condition.

Under the Sudanese Ministry of Interior's Police Force, the 40-member team, including 7 medical personnel from the Civil Defence Forces departed from Khartoum International Airport to Gaziantep Airport early Friday morning.

The team carrying 1000 blankets, 250 tents and food materials as well as a large number of search and rescue equipment will support search and rescue activities under the guidance of the authorities in Turkey. Earlier in the week, Algeria and Tunisia were amongst the first countries in Africa to send support.

More than 22,000 people are now known to have died after Monday's earthquakes in southern Turkey and northern Syria.

For Syria, the situation on the ground has been described as "absolutely catastrophic" by Syria's civil defence group, the White Helmets.