The Faroese Government has announced that it will send aid to Turkey and Syria in the wake of the devastating magnitude 7.8 earthquake that hit southeastern Turkey and northern Syria last week.
The Government announced its plan to send one million DKK (134,200 EUR) in aid to both Turkey and Syria, for medical treatment, mental health assistance, provision of food, water, blankets and medical transportation.
“As part of the international community we have a duty to help those in need,” Prime Minister Aksel V. Johannesen stated. “The situation in Syria and Turkey is terrible and it hurts to see people in such great need, now that their homes have been destroyed.”
In a separate development, Strendur handball club Stranda Ítróttafelag (StÍF), made a decision immediately after the news of the earthquake broke to provide aid to affected areas in Turkey. According to the club’s website, head coach Berkan Otman, himself from Turkey although currently a resident of the Faroes along with his wife and sons, has several friends in the affected areas.
“There is a great need for warm clothing for children and adults, as it’s cold and countless people have lost their home,” StÍF noted.
The club has, in collaboration with a charity organization which for many years has been sending clothing and other essentials to Romanians in need, collected supplies to ship to Turkey. The supplies include warm clothing, blankets, jackets, soap and more, all delivered in liaison with the Turkish Embassy in Copenhagen.
As of 14 February 2023, a total of more than 41,100 deaths had reportedly been confirmed in result of the earthquake, over 35,400 in Turkey and 5,700 in Syria.
According to reports, this is the deadliest earthquake in Turkey since the country’s creation in 1923 and was felt as far as Egypt, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Cyprus, and the Black Sea coast of Turkey. The earthquake is even believed to be the deadliest in Turkey since as far back as the 1268 Cilicia earthquake, and in Syria since the 1822 Aleppo earthquake. The earthquake is also believed to be one of the strongest ever recorded in the Levant and the deadliest worldwide since the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
