Chinese light drone helping in Turkey search and rescue mission

A Chinese-made drone is providing lighting to search and rescue missions in Turkey following last week’s powerful earthquake.

The drone, powered by a small generator it carries, is able to light up an area of 8,000 square meters with strong endurance, according to Chinese media.

The producer of the drone has provided 10 of them to Turkey for free to help in the search and rescue efforts - though hopes more survivors will be found under the expanses of rubble across the south of the country are quickly dimming.

Prone to earthquakes and other natural disasters, China has developed technology useful in such scenarios.

The Chinese government last week announced it would give Turkey 40 million yuan ($5.84 million) in emergency financial assistance and a further 30 million yuan ($4.38 million) in humanitarian aid to Syria.

Beijing is an ally of the Syrian regime, and shares good ties with Ankara.

The combined death toll in Turkey and Syria has climbed over 41,000, and many survivors are enduring near-freezing winter temperatures as they have been left homeless by the devastation in cities in both countries. Hundreds of thousands of others have been left injured.