LONDON – US carrier Delta Air Lines has provided a donation of $100,000 to the disaster relief effort in Türkiye and Syria.
In the early hours of Monday 6th February 2023 the first of two earthquakes struck the border region of Gaziantep between Türkiye and Syria. A mere eight hours later, a second quake struck the Elbistan district, some 80 miles further north of the first.
According to the United States Geological Survey, the first one was recorded at 7.8 on the Richter magnitude scale, and the second measured 7.5.
Rescue missions are ongoing amongst the crippling aftermath of what could prove to be one of the most devastating natural disasters the world has known in recent years.
Relief efforts began as soon as possible, with The Turkish Red Crescent Society and Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society responding almost immediately.
The death toll in southern Türkiye and northwest Syria has now surpassed 36,000 and is expected to continue rising. This amidst the United Nations and various other charities efforts to continue to provide supplies and comfort to those who have survived, all whilst potentially losing everything around them.
Days later, men, women and children are defying all the odds and are still being rescued from the rubble that once stood as homes and buildings in the two regions.
One of the United States largest airlines, Delta Air Lines has a longstanding partnership with the American Red Cross.
This partnership has seen a $100,000 dollar donation in support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support those continued efforts for relief in the regions.
Delta’s Managing Director of Community Engagement, Tad Hutcheson said: “The most important way to help is through financial giving, as the American Red Cross and the IFCRC have the resources and infrastructure to obtain and deliver goods, supplies and trained volunteers to the places and people that need it most”
The not-for-profit partnership between the two has seen the airlines donations go to good causes around the world since 1941.
On top of this one time $100,000 donation toward specific purposes, Delta is part of the American Red Cross 1 million dollar Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP).
Alongside other large worldwide corporations they donate generously every year to help those affected by the some 60,000 disasters that occur in the world annually.
Delta contributions come primarily from their employees and customers, having setup a dedicated link on its website to support the fund.
The monies will be used for the humanitarian efforts to provide aid to those that have seen their lives decimated by the quake.
Those on the ground helping at the forefront of the rescue mission are there to support: the search and rescue operations, provide first aid, emergency medical evacuations, transporting those injured to hospital and offer psychological support to those affected.
According to the Red Cross, what is needed most in the affected regions at the moment is medical care for the wounded, provision of food, basic supplies and also blood and plasma.
If anyone reading this wishes to donate to the fund then you can do so by following the British Red Cross link here.
