BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Syria has requested assistance from the European Union, two days after a devastating earthquake killed more than 11,000 people there and in neighbouring Turkey, the European Commission said on Wednesday.
“Earlier today, this morning, we have received a request from the government of Syria for assistance through the civil protection mechanism,” European Commissioner for crisis management Janez Lenarcic told reporters.
The EU said it would provide additional emergency support to both countries and emergency humanitarian assistance worth 6.5 million euros in one of the bloc’s largest ever search and rescue operations through the mechanism.
Lenarcic said member states were being encouraged to contribute with assistance as requested.
A country can request assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism when the scale of an emergency or disaster overwhelms its response capabilities.
Once activated, the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre coordinates and finances assistance provided by EU member states and eight additional participating nations.
Lenarcic will visit affected areas in Turkey tomorrow.
(Reporting by Marine Strauss, Charlotte Van Campenhout, editing by Benoit Van Overstraeten, Kevin Liffey and Alex Richardson)
