Japan pledges $27M in humanitarian aid for quake victims in Türkiye, Syria

By Anadolu Agency Staff

ANKARA (AA) – Japan on Thursday pledged $27 million in emergency humanitarian aid for the people affected by two massive earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria.

Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa told reporters that the aid will be delivered to two earthquake-stricken countries through the World Food Program (WFP) and Japanese non-governmental organizations.

The details of the aid package are being worked out, Yoshimasa was quoted as saying by local broadcaster NHK.

Tokyo will continue to "act swiftly" and provide assistance in any way necessary to earthquake victims, he added.

Japan has been doing its utmost to send rescue crews and aid supplies to the region, based on its experience with earthquakes and other disasters, he said.

At least 36,187 people were killed by the two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye last week, the country's Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) said on Thursday.

The Feb. 6 magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes, centered in the Kahramanmaras province, affected more than 13 million people across 11 provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, Sanliurfa, and Elazig.

Several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon, also felt the strong tremors that struck Türkiye in the space of less than 10 hours.