By Dana Omirgazy in International on 14 April 2023
ASTANA – Turkish Ambassador to Kazakhstan Mustafa Kapucu extended gratitude to Kazakhstan’s citizens and organizations for the support and emergency assistance provided to the Turkish people after the Feb. 6 devastating earthquake in Türkiye and Syria, reported the embassy.
The Kazakh people and organizations donated over $10 million to Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, said Kapucu, addressing an iftar (fast-breaking evening meal) reception at his residence on April 10.
Besides financial aid, Kazakh citizens provided humanitarian assistance. The Kazakh health workers from the Disaster Medicine Center and canine teams were among the first to depart for Türkiye and immediately commence search and rescue operations.
The Kazakh citizens provided emergency supplies, including diesel generators, tents, blankets, and sleeping bags, which were delivered by Turkish Airlines aircraft to charity organizations in Türkiye.
“We highly appreciate this significant and timely support which continues the tradition of cooperation and mutual assistance between our fraternal peoples,” said Kapucu, who began his mission in Kazakhstan in April.
The ambassador thanked ‘Bulat Utemuratov Foundation’ for its $5 million donation. The foundation has been donating funds to victims of natural disasters in Kazakhstan and supporting other social programs since 2014.
The devastating earthquake in southeast Türkiye killed at least 45,000 people and destroyed or severely damaged more than 160,000 buildings, leaving millions homeless. The World Bank estimated the damage from the earthquake to be at $34 billion.
