Turkish firm distribute humanitarian aid in earthquakes hit Afghanistan

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) – Turkish private and public companies have sent humanitarian aid to victims of two major earthquakes in Afghanistan's western province, the Turkish Embassy in Kabul said on Thursday.

A private Turkish construction company distributed aid to victims of two major earthquakes with the same intensity of 6.3 on the Richter scale that struck many districts of Herat province, particularly Zinda Jan, Ghorian, and Injil near the Iranian border on Wednesday and Saturday.

One person was killed and over 50 others were injured in the Wednesday tremor. The injured were taken to hospitals in Herat city, local media reported.

The number of people killed and injured in Saturday's earthquakes has surpassed 4,500, Afghanistan's Disaster Management Ministry said.

According to the UN, earthquakes have affected at least 12,110 people or 1,730 families, and it is providing medical services, emergency shelter, food, and water.

Meanwhile, China has provided 30 million yuan (approximately $4.11 million) in humanitarian aid to Kabul in response to the earthquakes, according to the Beijing-based Global Times.

China is actively implementing previous humanitarian arrangements with Afghanistan, including emergency grain aid, the media outlet said, citing the spokesperson for the China International Development Cooperation Agency, Xu Wei.