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Qatar sends 3 additional planes of earthquake relief to Turkiye

February 20, 2023 at 2:58 pm

United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) sends 1400 prortable beds along with hammer drills to quake victims via a Qatar Emiri Air Force plane that took off from Istanbul Ataturk Airport to Adana in Istanbul [Arife Karakum]

Qatar has sent three additional aid planes to Turkiye to help the victims of the twin powerful earthquakes two weeks ago, officials said on Monday, Anadolu News Agency reports.

“To alleviate the sufferings of earthquake victims, Qatar’s Emiri Air Force allocated additional 3 C-17 aircrafts to transfer 90 toilets and 25 generators,” the Turkish Embassy in Doha said on Twitter.

“We will never forget the solidarity of Qatar in these challenging times,” it added.

In addition, humanitarian aid including emergency supplies such as sleeping bags and winter tents, donated by Qatar Charity, was also sent to Turkiye to be delivered to the earthquake victims, the Embassy also said.

READ: The true champions of humanity in Turkiye and Syria deserve our thanks

Qatar has sent relief aid to Turkiye and Syria through the air corridor created by Turkiye since the earthquakes hit the both countries on 6 February.

Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majed Al-Ansari said on Friday that Qatar’s donations collected for Turkiye and Syria have reached around 253 million Qatari riyals ($70 million).

Qatar also sent a search and rescue team to Turkiye and delivered aid from other countries.

The 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude quakes were centred in southern Turkiye’s Kahramanmaras province on 6 February, and struck 10 other provinces – Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Hatay, Gaziantep, Malatya, Kilis, Osmaniye, Elazig and Sanliurfa. More than 13 million people have been affected by the devastating quakes.

The strong tremors that struck in less than 10 hours also caused widespread destruction in Syria.

Turkiye issued a level-4 alert, calling in international aid.

READ: Lack of safety, fear, distress: mental health of 7m children at risk after quakes