NATO sends ship to Turkey for emergency shelter camp

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Damaged building at the epicenter of the earthquake in Kharamanmaras, Turkey

Photo: Ahmed Deeb / dpa

Tens of thousands of houses were destroyed in Turkey and Syria - now NATO is preparing to build a camp in Turkey with emergency accommodation for at least 4,000 people.

A spokesman for the alliance said that a cargo ship with 600 containers left the port of the Italian city of Taranto on Sunday evening.

It should arrive in the Turkish city of Iskenderun within the week.

The port in Taranto was also kept open outside normal operating hours for the loading of the containers, it said.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg promised Turkey additional support last Thursday during a visit to Ankara and the disaster area.

According to the government, around 225,000 homes were destroyed or badly damaged by the earthquake around two weeks ago.

The number of people killed was last given as more than 41,000.

In addition to setting up the camp with emergency accommodation, NATO says it is also currently coordinating an airlift for transporting tents from Pakistan to Turkey.

Stoltenberg said on Thursday that "tens of thousands of tents" should be sent to the NATO member country in the coming days and weeks using existing air transport capacities.

USA pledges another 100 million

The US government announced on Sunday that it intends to increase its earthquake aid for Turkey and Syria by 100 million US dollars (around 93 million euros).

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was visiting Turkey on Sunday, said so.

The aid is intended to benefit the earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria.

The money can be used to buy medicine, blankets, mattresses, tents and warm clothing.

In addition, the supply of clean water and sanitary facilities, but also education for children, is said to be guaranteed.

It is not easy for aid convoys to advance into rebel-held areas of Syria.

In north-west Syria, not everyone has received emergency aid.

mfh/dpa