Quake relief from Finland arrives at Türkiye's Incirlik Air Base: Finnish interior minister

By Dilara Hamit

GAZIANTEP, Türkiye (AA) - Two aircraft carrying relief supplies from Finland have landed at Türkiye's Incirlik Air Base in the aftermath of the Feb. 6 twin earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaras province, according to the Finnish interior minister.

After the 7.7 and 7.6-magnitude quakes struck 11 provinces, aid materials were donated by Finland at Türkiye's request at the base in southern Adana province.

Krista Mikkonen told Anadolu that Finland had already helped immediately after the devastating earthquakes.

"We sent experts to help Türkiye. Seven Finnish experts arrived in Türkiye, while the EU’s civil protection response was led by a Finnish expert. In addition to the experts, we sent shelters for 3,000 people during the week of the earthquakes," she said.

"Türkiye has sent help requests, and Finland has answered these requests and sent help from both the EU and NATO mechanisms, and we have found these mechanisms very efficient. Through these mechanisms, we know what kind of help is needed in the area, so we can send that kind of help, which is needed," she said.

Mikkonen noted that the recent quake relief included shelters for 2,000 people along with assistance packets of heaters and generators as well as supplies of food. She said that additionally, the aircraft included the same kind of material assistance to Syria.

She noted that Syrian aid would pass from the Turkish border.

Despite Finland not being in NATO, Mikkonen stressed that the relief arrived at Türkiye's NATO base thanks to NATO’s friendship program.

"So we can use this NATO mechanism also through sending to help, as we are also using the EU mechanism," she said.

She said the EU and Finland would help Türkiye and Syria for as long as there was a request for help.

"I just want to add that we really want to support Türkiye's people, and I know that the situation over there is very serious and difficult, and we hope the help that we are sending will help people over there," she said.

The devastating Feb. 6 twin earthquakes have claimed more than 44,300 lives in Türkiye’s southern region.

The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 quakes have impacted some 13 million people across 11 provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, Elazig, and Sanliurfa.

Over 10,200 aftershocks have been reported, including a 5.6 magnitude earthquake that jolted Malatya on Monday, killing at least one person and injuring 110 others.

The quakes also caused widespread devastation in parts of northwestern Syria, where the death toll has climbed to at least 5,840.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​