Two planes with humanitarian aid from the European Union landed this Sunday in Damascus to support the victims of the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6, causing around 50,000 deaths in both countries.
“The planes delivered much-needed relief items such as winter tents, shelter kits and heaters,” the European Commission said in a statement.
These are the first flights to arrive in Damascus, but are part of a series of others carrying assistance from the EU’s own humanitarian reserves in Brindisi and Dubai to the Syrian people, in government-controlled and non-government areas, according to the statement. .
In total, the EU humanitarian airlift to Syria will provide 420 tonnes of assistance, including 225 tonnes from the EU’s own reserves worth €1.1 million.
In addition, fifteen European countries (Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Finland, France, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia and Slovenia) offered assistance to Syria in response to the activation of Civil Protection. EU mechanism on February 8.
Donations include tents, beds, blankets, heaters, hygiene kits, generators, food and medical supplies, among other materials.
An EU civil protection team is in Beirut coordinating the delivery of assistance to Syria, and EU humanitarian experts are also present in Syria working with partners to ensure aid reaches the most vulnerable.
So far, the EU has responded to the earthquake with €10 million in humanitarian aid, including €3.9 million in new funds and more than €6 million reallocated through ongoing humanitarian projects.
The earthquakes on February 6, with an epicenter in Turkish territory, which were followed by several aftershocks, some of them very intense, caused at least 50,000 deaths in southern Turkey and northwestern Syria, figures that are still provisional.
Source: Observadora
