U.S. Aid Distributed To Quake Survivors In Bingol

BINGOL - Aid packages sent by the U.S. Red Cross were distributed to the quake survivors in eastern Bingol province on Sunday.
During the ceremony held for distribution of aid packages worth of 500 billion Turkish liras (TL), Red Crescent Chairman Ertan Gonen said that the earthquake which jolted Bingol deeply affected not only Turkish people but also neighbors of Turkey and the countries with which Turkey had international relations.
Gonen noted that some countries sent monetary and some countries dispatched humanitarian aid to the Red Crescent in the wake of the earthquake.
The U.S. citizens had also extended great support to the Red Crescent after the devastating earthquake which rocked Marmara region in 1999, Gonen stated.
Gonen said that Red Crescent had sent 14 thousand 14 tents, 18 thousand 217 blankets, 8 mobile kitchens while the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) had provided 160 tents for education, 117 tons of dry food, one mobile clinic, 1 thousand 191 cleaning materials, 10 parcels of health equipment.
The total cost of aid exceeded 10 trillion TL, Gonen pointed out.
Gonen emphasized that the aid packages which would meet two and a half month food need of five-member family would be distributed to 9 thousand families.
U.S. Red Cross' Head of Turkey Delegation Ion O'Donnelle said that the U.S. people were always the friend of Turkish people.
O'Donnelle said that their assistance would continue and expressed pleasure to be in Bingol.
(BRC-UK) 02.06.2003