By Isabel Pancake
More than 24,000 dead, countless missing, 5,700 collapsed houses. The area around the Turkish-Syrian border – a rubble field. Now the German Red Cross (DRK) has sent help from Schönefeld.
An aid convoy of four trucks is bringing aid supplies to Turkey for the earthquake victims. On Saturday morning, the 44 tons of relief supplies were loaded within an hour.
The load: 1000 tarpaulins, over 1000 insulating mats, 77 tent heaters, 3400 camp beds and 1000 hygiene packages. The hygiene packages contain washing powder, sanitary towels, razors, shaving foam, toothpaste and toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, washing-up liquid and towels. All funded by donations.
Dennis Pietruska (41) and Gerret Herbst (51) started yesterday morning at 10 a.m. from the logistics center in Schönefeld Photo: Olaf Selchow
Such packages are standard for disaster relief. However, the DRK was informed from Turkey exactly what is needed particularly urgently and frequently. “We are working in close consultation with our local partners,” says spokeswoman Rebecca Winkels.
Among other things, hygiene packages are also brought to Turkey. This includes sanitary napkins, toothpaste and washing powder Photo: Olaf Selchow
At 10 a.m. the trucks then started towards Turkey. But it takes them three days to get to the crisis area! No wonder: the convoy has to travel 2,400 kilometers through five countries.
Commemoration at the Brandenburg Gate
It took an hour for the 44 tons of relief supplies to be loaded Photo: Olaf Selchow
Meanwhile, more than a hundred Berliners commemorated the many victims of the earthquake at the Brandenburg Gate. Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey (44, SPD) was also there and praised the willingness of Berliners to donate.
Giffey: “With many who donated, we succeeded in building an airlift from Berlin to Turkey, also in cooperation with the Turkish embassy, with the consulate general.”