With a view to providing humanitarian aid to the affected people by the earthquake which struck early in the morning of October 29, 2008 in Baluchistan and caused 350 people lost their life and left over 20.000 people homeless, Turkish Red Crescent, immediately, deployed 5 relief staff to Quetta for making a need assessment on 29th and 30th October, 2008.
Based on the initial information, for 1.000 affected families, Turkish Red Crescent started to procurement of food rations, (each package composed of 20 kg wheat flour, 5 kg rice, 5 kg bean, 5 kg sugar, 2.5 lt cooking oil, 1 kg salt and 1 kg tea, in total 40 kg) and hygiene kits from Queatta to be dispatched to Ziarat which is the mostly affected place by quake.
As of 31st October 2008, 200 food packages have been reached to Ziarat and distribution activities have been started in conjunction with Pakistan Red Crescent Baluchistan Branch. Concurrently, the rest of the food packages and hygiene kits are being prepared to be sent to Ziarat.
In the near future, Turkish Red Crescent will be setting up 10 temporary shelter camps by using steel container units, which is designed for winter conditions and longer accommodation purpose, for 120 families. Each steel container camp is designed for 12 families and includes 12 containers for accommodation, 2 WC and bathroom, 2 kitchens and 1 store for food items.
Turkish Red Crescent is working in close contact and cooperation with Pakistan Red Crescent as well as International Federation of Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) on the ground in Quetta and Islamabad.
Kind Regards,
Hakki ERSOY
Head of Pakistan Project Coordination Delegation of TRCS.