Three-hour “Solidarity Day” fundraiser telethon for quake victims today

TDT | Manama                                        

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com   

Reported by Julia Cassano

Bahrain’s National TV and National Committee for Supporting Earthquake Victims will launch a live “Solidarity Day” telethon at 5pm today to support survivors and victims of the quake that devastated Turkey and Syria.

Residents and citizens are urged to join the three-hour fundraising campaign. The campaign follows the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to provide urgent relief humanitarian aid to help nearly 9 million people in Syria and Turkey.

Royal Humanitarian Foundation Secretary-General Dr Mustafa Al Sayed thanked HM King Hamad, the RFH Honorary President, for his initiatives to assist people and provide relief to the needy. The move also comes as Bahrain delivered its first shipment of relief to Turkey.

Reports had said millions of people are in need of humanitarian aid after being left homeless in near-freezing winter temperatures. Humanitarian agencies also confirmed they require $400 million to sufficiently respond to the most pressing humanitarian needs over the next three months.

Besides, in a recent comment, Martin Griffiths, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said, “It has been over a week since the ground shook in Turkey and Syria, burying people alive, shattering homes, schools, and hospitals, causing indelible trauma across the region and beyond.”

“This is a crisis of colossal proportions, one which will be a true litmus test for global generosity, solidarity, and diplomacy.” Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) ahd said more than 4,300 aftershocks had hit the disaster zone since the initial quake. Meanwhile, yesterday, rescuers brought out a 17-year-old in Turkey’s southeastern Kahramanmaras province, 248 hours since the quake struck in the dead of night on Feb. 6.