as we ve mentioned the rescue situation in syria to give you one example during the conflict, hospitals were a regular target this is a statement from the syrian american medical society: our hospitals are overwhelmed with patients filling the hallways. let s hear from the world health organization on that. at least 23 million people are exposed to the effects of these earthquakes in both countries. that s just a preliminary assessment. we are mapping all the help facilities affected and their damage, theirfunctionality, and the information we are getting is that many hospitals just do not have what they need to function, simple things like power, like fuel, and of course we don t know the numbers of health workers who have been affected. but when i can tell you is every health worker who can help us out there helping right now.
this team is highly skilled and elite in urban search and rescue and specially trained to assist and rescue efforts, especially after earthquakes like the one thatjust struck central and southeast turkey. china says it s allocated almost 60 million dollars worth of aid to support rescue efforts in turkey. it s first civilian rescue team including eight rescue experts is on its way from hangzhou city, with life searching instruments and a dog. here s a ministry of foreign affairs spokesperson: the chinese government has immediately activated the emergency humanitarian aid system. china will provide a first tranche of 5.9 million dollars in emergency aid to turkey. this includes sending urban rescue teams with heavy equipment, medical teams, and providing much needed relief supplies. we are coordinating the delivery of vital relief material to syria and accelerating the implementation of ongoing food aid projects. the uk foreign secretary, james cleverly, says british aid has