China dispatches humanitarian supplies to southern Türkiye

ANKARA (AA) – China on Saturday dispatched the first batch of humanitarian aid to earthquake-ravaged areas in southern Türkiye.

The aid, which included 40,000 blankets, left Shanghai early this morning for Türkiye, Xinhua News Agency reported, citing a statement from the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA).

The CIDCA statement said China will send additional supplies in the coming days, including 1,000 sets of cotton tents, electrocardiograph machines, ultrasonic diagnostics, medical transport vehicles, and manual hospital beds.

The 26-member Chinese search and rescue team flew in on Tuesday, a day after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck southern Türkiye, centered in the Kahramanmaras province, followed by a 7.6 magnitude quake about nine hours later.

Two powerful earthquakes have caused at least 20,600 deaths and more than 80,080 injuries, according to the country's disaster agency.

Over 13 million people have been affected by the earthquakes in 10 provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa.

According to the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), more than 120,344 search and rescue personnel are currently working in the disaster zone, with more than 80,863 people evacuated from earthquake-affected areas.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid