German aid for earthquake victims
50 relief workers from the THW have returned from the earthquake zone in Turkey. "They did everything possible to save lives and rescue those buried beneath the rubble," said Federal Minister of the Interior Faeser. But this is not the end of German post-earthquake aid.
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As soon as reports came in about the terrible earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, the Federal and Länder governments began preparing aid and support services. The earthquakes which affected the region along the Turkish and Syrian border were the most serious in over 20 years.
The aid is being provided in close collaboration with Turkey and other European partners. The Joint Reporting and Situation Centre at the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) is coordinating German relief efforts via the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
So far, Germany has provided goods worth 6.9 million euros for Turkish and 1.5 million euros for Syrian earthquake zones. According to Nancy Faeser, the Federal Minister of the Interior, the survivors, who have lost everything, are now in desperate need of winter-proof shelters. "We are continuing to work with the German Air Force to supply tents, blankets, cots, and power generators."
German rescue teams conducting recovery operations
The Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) deployed the Rapid Deployment Unit for Salvage Operations Abroad (SEEBA) as part of the German emergency aid effort on behalf of the Federal Government as well as a search and rescue team from the Duisburg-based relief organisation I.S.A.R.-Germany, which carried out support operations in the Hatay area. The German Federal Police Force also provided paramedics, doctors, and a dog team at the scene.
In order to save as many people as possible, the German rescue and recovery teams worked through until Sunday. The Federal Minister of the Interior thanked the emergency services, who she said: "did everything possible to save lives and rescue those buried beneath the rubble. The post-disaster operation was a difficult and dangerous one, the extent of which we can still barely guess at."
Visas for those affected by the earthquake
The Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs have also simplified visa procedures for people from the affected earthquake zones. Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser explained that this "will enable Turkish and Syrian families in Germany to have their close relatives from the disaster regions join them in Germany without bureaucracy, to provide them with shelter and medical treatment in our country."
More aid on standby
The relief efforts already underway are only a start. Further assistance is available to respond as quickly as possible to foreseeable needs in Turkey. Both the THW and the Federal Armed Forces will continue to transport relief supplies to the affected areas. During a joint visit with the Federal Minister of the Interior to the Wunstorf air base, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said that: "We will continue to fly as long as necessary and as long as material can be delivered."
"We must all pull together when disasters occur"
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his shock at the number of people killed and injured in the affected earthquake zones in Turkey and Syria. The Federal Chancellor used his government statement in the Bundestag last week to thank the German public for their willingness to help.
He also stressed the strong partnerships with partners in the region, emphasising how this was a sign that cohesion was incredibly important, particularly in situations such as this. "We must all pull together and support one another when disasters occur," said the Federal Chancellor.
Federal Foreign Office information services:
Serious earthquakes in Turkey and Syria: Germany and Europe offer on-site help for those affected
Answers to the most frequently asked questions about the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria
Information concerning simplified visa procedures for people affected by the earthquake
General information on simplified visa procedures
Information from the Visa Application Processing Centre in Turkey (iDATA)
Answers to general enquiries about the simplified visa procedure for persons affected by the earthquake are also available via the Federal Foreign Office hotline 030-5000 3000 (in German/English).
Information from the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance:
BBK information page: Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria
Information from the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs:
Comprehensive relief efforts following the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria
Information provided by the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW)
Mission in Turkey: Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) forces back in Germany