(CNN) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday announced $100 million in disaster relief for Turkey and Syria as the countries grapple with the aftermath of a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake that killed at least 46,000 people died.
The top US diplomat, who took a helicopter flight through some of the hardest-hit areas with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Sunday, later told reporters at Incirlik Air Base that it was “really hard to put the devastation into words.” he saw during the tour, but said: “We are here to stand by the people of Turkey and Syria.”
The new round of funding includes $50 million from the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund for emergency response and an additional $50 million in humanitarian assistance from the State Department and USAID, the State Department said.
The latest funding brings total American aid to $185 million. According to a State Department fact sheet, private US non-governmental organizations have already contributed a further 66 million US dollars to the relief efforts.
“Immediately after the earthquake, the United States and other countries stepped in,” Blinken said.
Efforts to recover survivors have been hampered by a cold winter spell in quake-hit regions as authorities grapple with the logistical challenges of transporting relief supplies to northwest Syria amid an acute humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by years of political wrangling .
Blinken acknowledged that the relief effort in Syria was “very, very challenging” but promised: “We will do everything we can including, for example, ensuring that there is absolutely no doubt that any sanctions against Syria will prevent the deployment.” do not interfere with humanitarian aid.”
“They never have, but we will make sure we clear all doubts about this so anyone who is able can make sure they are helping to get the help the people of Syria need.” said he called.
Blinken helps U.S. service members load emergency supplies into a vehicle at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey on February 19, 2023.
Blinken also met with representatives of the Syrian civil defense volunteer organization known as the White Helmets in southern Turkey on Sunday and pledged US support to the group and other organizations that are “providing life-saving assistance in response to this tragedy,” he said he in a tweet.
The White Helmets have been doing the hard work in search, rescue and recovery operations in rebel-held areas of northern and northwestern Syria.
The group tweeted Sunday that members updated Blinken on the earthquake response and the current situation in Northwest Syria, along with “the humanitarian situation, ways to support affected civilians and mechanisms for early recovery.”
Turkey’s civil protection agency said on Sunday it had ended most search and rescue operations nearly two weeks after the quake, as experts say the chances of surviving people trapped in the rubble so far into the disaster are remote.
Some efforts remain in Kahramanmaraş and Hatay provinces. A couple and their 12-year-old child were rescued in Hatay on Saturday, 296 hours after the earthquake, state-run Anadolu News Agency reported.
Blinken told reporters from Incirlik Air Base that reconstruction would require “a massive effort, but we are committed to supporting Turkey in this effort.”
“The most important thing right now is to help people who need help to get them through the winter and get them back on their feet,” he added.
CNN’s Jack Forrest contributed to this report.