In the USA, thousands of tons of aid materials donated by the Turkish American community and Americans continue to be shipped to the country under the coordination of the Washington Embassy.
So far, more than 1500 tons of aid materials have been sent to those affected by the earthquake in Turkey.
Washington Ambassador Hasan Murat Mercan, who started the aid activity by standing in front of the cameras a few hours after the earthquakes, told TRT Haber what happened in this process.
After the earthquake, action was taken on the 4th category call for help
Turkey’s Ambassador to Washington, Hasan Murat Mercan, said that when a Category 4 aid call was made after the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes, they mobilized in-kind and cash aid together with the embassies and consulates general.
Stating that the Turkish American society and associations took action immediately, Ambassador Mercan noted that in-kind aids were collected at diplomatic missions.
Stating that many volunteers from the Turks and the Turkish American community categorize the aid materials, Ambassador Mercan stated that they also provided urgently needed supplies such as medicine and tents, as well as large-sized aid materials such as a kitchen and field hospital.
Business people from the Turkish American community mobilized for earthquake victims
Ambassador Mercan of business people belonging to the Turkish American community; He stated that he opened his warehouses so that the large amount of aid collected could be shipped in a certain order.
Ambassador Mercan stated that the aid was initially shipped by Turkish Airlines scheduled aircraft and Atlas special cargo plane, and said that they contacted Turkish business people operating in the shipping industry to activate the shipment by ship, as the aid reached a huge amount.
For this purpose, 434 tons of relief materials in the first stage, with the container ship belonging to the Turkon Company, departed for Mersin Port with the materials received from the states of New Jersey, Virginia and Georgia. The ship is expected to arrive at Mersin Port in the second week of March.
Ambassador Mercan said that the delivery of aid materials to airports and ports was carried out by Meskhetian Turks, who have experience in transportation in the USA.
Ambassador Mercan; He reminded that no person or organization receives a single penny for donated materials, shipments to the airport by trucks, or shipments by air and sea.
Reyhan Özgür, Consul General of Turkey in New York, also told TRT Haber that the aid collected at the Chicago and Boston Consulate Generals is being sent to the citizens affected by the earthquake in Turkey under the coordination of the New York Consulate General.
Ambassador Mercan to Washington reminded that Turkish diplomatic missions in the USA also coordinate aid activities in cities where Turkish Airlines flies.
Ambassador Mercan noted that the Turkish American society is mobilized with all its associations and organizations from all walks of life and said, “Thousands of people work day and night, and we transport thousands of tons of material overseas.”
U.S. authorities and aid agencies took immediate action
Turkey’s Ambassador to Washington, Hasan Murat Mercan, reminded that the US authorities and aid organizations started aid activities with support messages right after the disaster.
Ambassador Mercan reminded that he was immediately contacted by the White House and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and that the US search and rescue teams and aid organizations were mobilized and said, “The disaster we have experienced is the biggest disaster we have ever seen, and the Americans felt it too.”
The aid mobilization of Turks and Americans living in the USA continues.
The collected aid is delivered to the earthquake victims by air and sea transportation under the coordination of Turkish diplomatic missions in the USA.