INTERNATIONAL MILITARY EXERCISE UNDER WAY IN MOLDOVA
Moldova One TV, Chisinau
7 Aug 07
[Presenter] An earthquake measuring 6 degrees on the Richter scale
jolted the centre of Moldova at 0900 [0600 gmt] this morning. The Codru
village was the most affected. But don’t be afraid. This is only the
scenario of an international drill which is conducted in Moldova for
the second time under the Partnership for Peace Programme. A total of
500 servicemen from 14 countries are taking part in the exercise. Our
correspondent Natalia Vacaru participated in the removal of debris.
[Correspondent] The earthquake took the residents of the Codru village
by surprise at 0900.
[Ivan Targon, captioned colonel, head of the central military hospital]
Eighteen people were injured. We are providing medical help in the zone
where the earthquake took place. A medical unit of the Moldovan Defence
Ministry was deployed in the camp, as well as a US medical group.
Specialists from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and other states are
working together with our staff.
[Ruslan Targon, captioned as senior major, general surgery section,
central military hospital] Many people are still in a state of
stress. We provide medical assistance to all those who need it. Our
key goal here is to help victims.
[Correspondent] Fire-engines, land and air equipment are working
round the clock. About 500 rescuers – servicemen from abroad – have
been invited to deal with consequences of the earthquake.
All residents of the Codru village affected by the earthquake have
been sent here, to the military hospital, where they will receive
further medical assistance. In such extreme weather conditions air
equipment was necessary for their transportation.
Military doctors from Moldova, along with their colleagues from
13 states, who came here to help us deal with consequences of the
catastrophe, are working two kilometres from the affected zone,
where they have already set up a military hospital.
[Louis Jef, captioned as major, US military doctor, in English overlaid
with Russian translation] We have examined all patients. Three out
of 18 seriously injured patients need urgent surgery in order to
stop the arterial bleeding. We have transported them to the unit
of intensive therapy as all of them have injured limbs. The first
surgery has been successful.
[Correspondent] All these actions were demonstrated to journalists
by participants in the multinational medical exercise Medceur-2007,
which takes place at the Bulboaca training ground. During the drill,
servicemen from 14 states, Moldova included, were trained on how to
quickly react to consequences of natural disasters. Moldova hosts a
military exercise under the Partnership for Peace Programme for the
second time.
Also today, two other projects were launched: the reconstruction of
the kindergarten in the village of Floreni and of an artesian well
in the village of Cobusca Veche.
[Passage omitted: details about the projects]
[Correspondent] The multinational medical exercise Medceur-2007 will
last until 11 August.