Azerbaijan dispatches another batch of humanitarian aid to Turkiye

By Azernews

Sabina Mammadli

Read more

Azerbaijan’s Bilajari railway station has dispatched humanitarian cargo in 25 containers via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line to ten provinces of quake-hit Turkiye.

According to Azernews, the aid mainly consists of medicines, heaters, and generators, and will arrive within three days.

"Up until now, humanitarian aid from Azerbaijan to Türkiye has been sent by air and land. A freight train of 25 humanitarian aid containers is currently being sent. This train will arrive in the brotherly country within three days via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway line," Chairman of the Azerbaijan Railways CJSC Rovshan Rustamov said.

Talking to reports at the railway station, Turkish Ambassador in Baku Cahit Bagci thanked the Azerbaijani state and people for the great support provided during these difficult days.

Besides, he remarked that Turkiye is carrying out works to assemble modular houses sent from Azerbaijan to help earthquake victims.

"Those houses will be assembled in one region and used as a temporary shelter. Since the first day of the tragedy, Azerbaijan has conducted continuing work and sent 15 trucks to Türkiye. The humanitarian aid currently being sent by rail reflects the sincerity of Azerbaijan and its 11-million population. Türkiye will not forget that the Azerbaijani people were by its side during such difficult days," the diplomat added.

In such dire conditions, Azerbaijan has been there for the neighbouring country since day one providing humanitarian aid, and sending rescue teams and volunteers. This way, Azerbaijani volunteers work on unloading and sorting food, clothing, medicines, and other necessary supplies at distribution points, and provide hot drinks to the victims. They also actively participate in the distribution and transportation of mobile aid.

Moreover, the volunteers organized special points for studies, games, and leisure for children and set up a kindergarten consisting of two tents.

By order of Azerbaijan's executive authorities, 90 modern modular houses have been manufactured, offering single or double-room houses for 10-12 people.

A 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Turkiye's southeastern part on February 6, 2023, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.

At the moment of writing, the overall death toll in Turkiye has risen to over 41,000.