US Secretary of State Blinken arrives in Turkey, announces $100 million aid for earthquake victims.

New Delhi. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the affected areas in Turkey 14 days after the earthquake. He has announced a grant of $100 million to help the earthquake victims. Let us tell you that the death of more than 44 thousand people has been confirmed so far due to the devastating earthquake in southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6. Several thousand people are being treated. While a large number of people are still missing, who may be buried under the debris. Relief and rescue teams claimed to have completed relief and rescue operations in about 9 out of 14 areas. Blinken took a helicopter tour of one of the worst-hit provinces on Sunday. US President Joe Biden announced $85 million in aid to Turkey and Syria a few days after the earthquake. But now this amount has been increased to $100 million.

Turkey has the highest number of deaths due to earthquake. In Syria too, more than 5 thousand people have lost their lives. The US has also sent a search and rescue team, medical supplies and equipment. Blinken said the additional assistance includes $50 million in humanitarian assistance to the Emergency Refugee and Immigration Fund. The US Secretary of State is on his first visit to Turkey, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally, since taking office two years ago. Blinken arrived at the Incirlik airbase near Aden on Sunday after attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany. He along with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu took a helicopter tour of Turkey’s Hatay province. He is also expected to meet American and Turkish military personnel and families of Turkish soldiers affected by the quake.US Secretary of State Blinken arrives in Turkey.

After a helicopter tour of Blinken, a top US diplomat said, “When you look at the level of damage, the number of buildings destroyed, the number of apartments, the number of homes, there is a need to make a huge effort to rebuild.” . The most important thing right now is to help those in need. Incirlik is home to the 39th Air Base Wing of the US Air Force. It is an important center for the distribution of relief aid. Blinken is due to leave for the capital Ankara on Sunday for talks with Turkish officials on Monday.