Dubai ruler visits relief campaign for Türkiye and Syria quake victims

Vice-President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has visited the country’s humanitarian campaign dedicated to earthquake victims in Türkiye and Syria.

The Dubai ruler inspected the efforts of volunteers participating in the ‘bridges of Goodness’ campaign at its headquarters at the Dubai World Trade Centre, according to state news agency WAM on Tuesday.

“Today, I visited the Bridges of Goodness campaign to provide relief to those affected by the earthquakes in Syria and Türkiye,” Bin Rashid said.

“The bridges of goodness that the UAE extends with peoples in times of distress are permanent bridges that establish love, communication and solidarity. They raise brotherhood to noble levels.”

“Today’s campaign was attended by 2,000 volunteers, including children, school students, employees from the government and private sectors, businessmen, intellectuals, and others,” he said.

“Their goal is the same, to deliver a message of goodness to our brothers, and to express our most important human values…they have all our thanks and appreciation,” he added.

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UAE, Saudi Arabia continue humanitarian aid to Türkiye, Syria after quakes

Relief, rehabilitation effort ongoing

On February 11, the Emirati authorities launched the campaign following the powerful earthquakes that struck southern Türkiye on February 6 and claimed the lives of at least 48,448, people.

According to UN figures, the quakes also killed around 6,000 people in Syria.

On Thursday, the UAE said it had flown 209 cargo planes to the areas affected by the earthquakes, carrying 5,848 tons of relief aid and providing treatment for about 4,000 cases in its field hospital in the southern Turkish city of Gaziantep.

Four days after the February 6 disaster, the UAE set up a field hospital in Gaziantep that employed 50 personnel with 15 doctors, with a 50-bed capacity alongside an operating room, emergency, intensive care, psychology, and family doctor sections.

The UAE has sent 97 relief flights to support the earthquake-hit regions, delivering 2,624 tonnes of aid.

A total of 58 cargo planes carrying 1,918 tonnes of relief material have been sent to Syria and 39 have landed in Türkiye, carrying 706 tonnes of food and medical supplies and tents.

READ MORE: UAE field hospital helps earthquake wounded victims in Türkiye