New Zealand to offer humanitarian aid to Türkiye, Syria following quakes

New Zealand will immediately provide humanitarian support to those affected by the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said on Tuesday.

"New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation caused by these earthquakes," she said.

The New Zealand government is making an initial contribution of 1.5 million NZ dollars (950,000 U.S. dollars) to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) responses in both Türkiye and Syria to help meet humanitarian needs.

"Our humanitarian contribution will support teams from the Turkish Red Crescent and Syrian Arab Red Crescent to deliver essential relief items such as food supplies, tents and blankets, and provide lifesaving medical assistance and psychological support," Mahuta said.

"Officials will continue to monitor the humanitarian needs and assess options for further support," she said.

Through the IFRC, 1 million NZ dollars (630,000 U.S. dollars) will go to support the response in Türkiye and 500,000 NZ dollars (316,172.5 U.S. dollars) to the response in Syria, Mahuta added.

Over 3,000 people were killed and thousands of others injured after strong earthquakes jolted parts of Türkiye and northwest of Syria early Monday, as local rescuers are battling harsh winter conditions to search for survivors under the rubble.

At least 78 aftershocks were recorded, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay has said. The quakes were also felt in Lebanon, Israel and Cyprus.