US announces USD 85 mn humanitarian aid for earthquake-hit Turkey, Syria

The United States on Thursday announced providing USD 85 million humanitarian assistance to those impacted by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) said in a statement.
The new aid announced by the US is supporting USAID humanitarian partners to deliver aid to people in Turkey and Syria after two earthquakes jolted the two nations on Monday.
“The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will provide USD 85 million in urgent humanitarian assistance as the Agency continues to lead the U.S. government response to the worst earthquake to hit the region in nearly a century,” USAID said in a statement.
“This new funding is supporting USAID’s humanitarian partners to deliver urgently-needed aid for millions of people in Turkiye and in Syria,” it further said.
According to the statement, the aid includes providing emergency food and shelter for refugees and newly displaced people, winter supplies to help people brave the cold, trauma support, clean drinking water, hygiene and sanitation assistance.
According to the statement, the US government after the earthquakes rapidly mobilized to assist the Turkey government and humanitarian partners in Syria. The US has deployed the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), which is made up of nearly 200 people.
DART includes disaster experts from USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, 159 search and rescue members and 12 canines. The DART is currently operating out of Adiyaman, Adana, and Ankara.
The death toll from the earthquakes that jolted Turkey and Syria has risen to 21,051, CNN reported citing authorities. The total number of injured people in Syria and Turkey has reached 78,124.
The total number of fatalities in Turkey has risen to at least 17,674. A total of 72,879 people have been injured due to the earthquake, CNN cited Turkey’s Vice President Fuat Oktay.
The total number of deaths in Syria reached to at least 3,377, including 2,030 in rebel-held areas and 1,347 in government-controlled regions of Syria, CNN reported citing the figures from the White Helmets and Syrian state media.
The total number of injured people in Syria has reached 5,245, with 2,295 in government-controlled and 2,950 in rebel-held regions. (ANI)