Turkey: UN Gives More Than $3 Million for Quake Victims
New York, Nov 15 2011 7:10PM
The United Nations
humanitarian fund announced today that it is allocating $3.4
million to provide shelter, education, health care and
psychological support to thousands of people affected by the
recent deadly earthquakes in south-eastern
Turkey.
Announcing the allocation from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos said the contribution would “allow for critical, life-saving assistance for people affected” by the quakes.
More than 600 people died after the first quake, measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale, struck on 23 October, while two subsequent temblors have claimed at least 20 other lives. Basic infrastructure, including numerous schools, have been seriously damaged or destroyed as a result of the quakes.
The funds allocated will be used by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), who are working with Government officials, the Turkish Red Crescent and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to provide relief to quake victims.
UN agencies have identified the provision of tents and blankets as priorities given that winter is approaching in Turkey, and some of the affected areas are mountainous.
The
General Assembly created CERF – which is managed by the UN
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
– in 2005 to ensure that funding reaching those in need
more quickly in the wake of a humanitarian emergency or
crisis. More than $2.3 billion has been pledged by Member
States to the fund since it began operations.
Nov 15 2011
7:10PM
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