Turkish company to send ships to house 3,000 in earthquake zone

Reuters:

ISTANBUL, Feb 11 – Turkey’s Karadeniz Holding said on Saturday it would send two humanitarian aid ships that can each house 1,500 people to help the relief effort in the southern province of Hatay, hit by a major earthquake that has claimed more than 20,000 lives.

“The company is working with the authorities to send lifeships Suheyla Sultan and Rauf Bey to Iskenderun-Hatay, the company said, adding this would be its first humanitarian mission.

The so-called lifeships, built for humanitarian aid missions, have accommodation, fridges, TVs and heating, as well as facilities for education, healthcare and food, the company said.

“We focused all our energy to this project to serve people in the area impacted by the earthquake. We aim to provide a safe haven to them as soon as possible,” it said in a statement.

The earthquake has left hundreds of thousands of people homeless in ten provinces across the southeastern region of Turkey, with many sleeping in tents and cars in freezing temperatures.