Status: 02/26/2023 2:23 pm
About three weeks after the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, planes brought first-aid supplies from the European Union to Damascus. Other flights to the disaster region are in the pipeline.
Two planes carrying humanitarian aid landed in the capital Damascus as part of a humanitarian airlift to Syria. Among other things, they delivered winter tents, accommodation equipment and heaters, as announced by the EU Commission.
These are the first flights of this type to land in Damascus, and more are to come. They deliver aid from EU camps in Dubai and Brindisi, Italy, to the population – both in government-controlled and non-government-controlled areas.
Aid worth ten million euros
According to the information, a total of 420 tons of emergency supplies will be delivered through this airlift. 225 tonnes worth €1.1m come from EU stocks. In addition, Germany and 14 other European countries offered help after Syria activated the EU’s civil protection mechanism.
So far, the EU has responded to the aftermath of the earthquake in Syria with humanitarian aid worth ten million euros. Over six million euros have been rededicated as part of ongoing humanitarian projects. 1,650 rescue workers and 110 search dogs were deployed to support the work in Turkey. Rescue teams have already stopped their work.
Five medical teams from Albania, Belgium, France, Italy and Spain are still on site and have treated more than 4000 people. 20 EU countries would provide accommodation, medical equipment, food and clothing. The EU provided €5.7 million in humanitarian aid to support affected people in Turkey.
An international donors’ conference for victims of the earthquake catastrophe that killed more than 50,000 people is planned for mid-March.