JDC Provides Sleeping Bags and Blankets for Homeless Earthquake Victims in Turkey

On Friday, November 12th an earthquake registering 7.2 on the Richter scale struck the Bolu region of Turkey with the epicenter located in the town of Duzce.

JDC was the first agency active in Turkey, and the first agency to mobilize in Israel, in response to this latest disaster.

As a first step, JDC provided funds for the trucking of urgently- needed tents from Istanbul to Duzce. Next, JDC procured 1,000 sleeping bags in Israel and these were taken by the Israeli Air Force to Turkey. A second shipment of 1,000 sleeping bags from Israel was then flown by Turkish Airlines (via donated space) and all were distributed beginning Tuesday November 16th.

At Adapazari, the site of the Israeli village where JDC is helping to supply the health clinic and school, JDC Country Director Ami Bergman met with the Deputy Governor regarding maintenance of the village and needed services.

The clinic is operating, and nurses and doctors come each day. Medicines are available. A dentist comes several times per week.

Trauma relief services are essential to lessen the fears of the survivors who have now endured multiple quakes and after-shocks and are not able to resume normal life. JDC is working with an Israeli trauma relief group to develop a program which will deliver training to local professionals.