UAE sends aid and rescue teams to earthquake-hit Turkey and Syria
It’s not the first time Sheikh Mohammed has helped a country in need…
On February 6, a tragic magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, leaving at least 3,000 dead and over 12,000 injured.
It is the deadliest tragedy to hit Turkey since 1939, according to The National– powerful enough to also be felt in parts of Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine.
HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai have sent a search and rescue team along with a medical team to set up a field hospital in earthquake-struck Turkey and Syria.
According to Dubai Media Office, the Dubai Ruler has directed humanitarian aid worth Dhs50 million to the people of Syria, where the death toll is currently at 1,293.
The UAE leaders shared their condolences and prayers for the victims on social media.
I extend my sincere condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives in today’s devastating earthquake. The UAE stands in solidarity with the Turkish and Syrian people, and we pray that God grants a speedy recovery to those who have been injured.
— محمد بن زايد (@MohamedBinZayed) February 6, 2023
Does Dubai ever get earthquakes?
Dubai does not lie on a fault line, which means the risk of an earthquake is extremely low – but that doesn’t mean we don’t experience wobbles from time to time.
The UAE is located on the edge of the Arabian Tectonic Plate, which pushes against the Eurasian Plate. The boundary of those plates – the Zagros mountain belt of Iran – is one of the most seismically active regions in the world.
Because of Iran’s proximity to the UAE, when it is hit by a big quake, Dubai typically experiences mild to moderate tremors (so do the northern emirates, of course, but because of Dubai’s high-rises, they tend to be felt more strongly here).
Images: Dubai Media Office