THE Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) will be deployed to assist in the search and rescue of earthquake victims in southern Turkey.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Duties) Armizan Mohd Ali said a total of 75 SMART members will be flown to Turkey tonight via a Turkish Airlines aircraft bringing along with them the equipment needed in the SAR operation.

“Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had approved the decision to send the team and the Turkey government had confirmed the need for assistance,” he said in a statement today.

He said the SMART had received recognition by the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group in 2016, which allows its members to participate in disaster missions abroad.

Earlier a strong earthquake was reported to have jolted the southern region of Turkey’s Kahramanmaras province early today, its epicentre in the Pazarcik district.

The Foreign Ministry reported that no Malaysian has been affected by the earthquake so far. – Bernama, February 6, 2023.