Canada will send an ‘initial’ $10M for earthquake help as Turkey declares emergency

Nothing is off the table and federal officials are looking at options to help the Turkey earthquake response including sending medical and rescue teams.

Canada is sending $10 million in aid to help with the response to the devastating earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says.

At least 5,000 people have died and thousands more injured after the magnitude 7.8 earthquake — and a subsequent earthquake of nearly equal strength — reduced homes and other buildings in the region to rubble.

“After yesterday’s devastating earthquakes, we’re providing $10 million in immediate aid to the people of Türkiye and Syria — and we’ll continue to provide support as the situation evolves,” Trudeau said in a tweet issued Tuesday morning.

“Our partners are already distributing food, emergency fuel, and shelter items.”

Canada is currently conducting a “needs assessment” to determine what the next steps should be, International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan said as he left a cabinet meeting in Ottawa on Tuesday, and the $10-million figure represents an “initial” response.

“We’re also looking at various other options — medical teams, heavy urban search and rescue — and I know that also Minister Anand is looking at options for the (Disaster Assistance Response Team) DART as well,” Sajjan said.

Right now, however, no Canadian teams have been sent — but “nothing” is off the table, the minister said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the total number of deaths in Turkey had passed 3,500, with some 22,000 people injured. He declared a three-month state of emergency in the country’s 10 southern provinces hit by the quake.