Turkey sends 65 tons of humanitarian aid to Philippines

Turkey has sent around 65 tons of humanitarian aid to the typhoon-stricken Philippines on Sunday. Speaking to journalists at Ankara Esenboga Airport, where humanitarian aid was loaded to an Airbus 330 cargo plane, Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay said that the death toll was not yet clear, but the Philippines Red Crescent estimates stood around 200-300 thousand. He also stated that according to the UN, 4.5 million people were affected by the typhoon and approximately 330 thousand people lost their homes. "The Prime Ministry's Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD) has been working to collect relief supplies. This initial cargo includes tents, blankets, kitchen utensils and other supplies provided by Turkish Red Crescent. We will determine the needs on the spot and send further aid," Atalay said before the departed from Ankara for Philippines to visit the disaster area. Atalay also told reporters that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sent a telegraph to his Philippine counterpart to express his condolences and reiterated Turkey's readiness to send humanitarian aid.