ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates relief team discussed Wednesday in an urgent meeting held in Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan foundation's headquarter the ways and mechanisms to provide urgent aid to the victims of Turkey's earthquake disaster. Mohammed Haji Al Khouri, Managing Director of Khalifa bin Zayed foundation, told the Emirates News Agency (WAM) that “the team decided to form a joint delegation of the humanitarian institutions in the state to distribute aid emergency relief to people affected by the earthquake in Turkey.” The aid includes thousands of tons of tents, blankets, food, and medicine. “It will be sent as soon as possible for the aid of thousands of people who have been affected by the devastating earthquake,” he added. The joint team includes Al Khouri, Mohamed Ibrahim Jawaad , director of foreign aid and humanitarian relief at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives from the Ministry of Interior and the ministry of armed forces, in addition to Saleh Al-Tai, Deputy Secretary General of the Red Crescent Authority for Relief and Projects and a group of experts. The UAE initiative comes after Turkey's request from more than 30 countries to provide them with prefabricated housing, tents and aid supplies. On the other hand, according to the Turkish Disaster and Emergency administration, the death toll from Sunday's 7.2magnitude quake rose to 459 dead and 1,352 injured. The final death count is likely to rise further as many people are still missing and 2,262 buildings have collapsed. Eastern Turkey was hit with a 6.0 earthquake in March 2010, which led to 51 dead and 74 injured. Two earthquakes hit northern Turkey in August and November 1999, which killed some 20,000 people. BM
