Qatar and Pakistan this week deployed two sea vessels packed with humanitarian relief for Türkiye’s southeast, ravaged by two deadly earthquakes on Feb. 6.

Since the magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 tremors left more than 45,000 people dead and destroyed more than 160,000 buildings across Türkiye’s 11 provinces, condolences, donations and aid, have flowed in as more than 100 countries sent rescuers, and global bodies pledged funds for recovery and reconstruction.

The quakes also caused widespread devastation in parts of northwestern Syria, where the death toll has climbed to at least 5,840. Some 2 million people were registered as having fled the region, and more than 11,000 aftershocks have hit since the initial jolting.

The Qatari ship carrying the first batch of containers for the victims of the catastrophe, some 2,000 units decked with two rooms, kitchens and bathrooms, are scheduled to arrive in Türkiye’s southern shores by March 4, according to diplomatic sources.

Upon Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s instructions, the nation has mobilized to dispatch the 10,000 containers specially manufactured for the World Cup hosted in the capital Doha last year to the disaster zone.

The first ship carrying 306 containers was loaded up on Feb. 12, and a second ship was laden with 1,400 more containers in Doha on Feb. 20-21.

Qatari authorities are reportedly doing their best to deploy the remaining containers, which will arrive in either the Port of Iskenderun or Mersin to be distributed to the affected areas.

Türkiye, in the meantime, is working to bolster infrastructure in container towns and transfer displaced citizens in tent cities to these towns in line with their needs.

In addition to some 600 tons of humanitarian aid it sent, Qatar also dispatched on Feb. 7, a day after the disaster struck, a search and rescue team consisting of 120 people, 12 vehicles, integrated equipment, three field hospitals and a medical team, who assisted in recovery operations in the Gaziantep province.

Sheikh Tamim became the first foreign leader to visit Türkiye after the earthquakes, meeting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Istanbul and assuring his country would "mobilize all means" to help Türkiye.

Pakistan

Meanwhile, the Pakistani ship for Türkiye departed on Tuesday from the port city of Karachi to deliver 1,000 tons of relief goods, including 1,800 large family-sized winterized tents and 29,000 blankets to tend to the quake survivors’ immediate needs.

Officials said that the consignment also includes generators, dry rations, medicines and clothing for the earthquake victims in Syria.

At a simple ceremony at Karachi Harbor, Pakistan’s Ports and Shipping Minister Faisal Sabzwari, Turkish Consul General in Karachi Cemal Sangu, and Commander of the Pakistan Fleet Rear Adm. Faisal Abbasi saw off "PNS Nasr."

The shipment is slated to reach the Port of Mersin in 14 days, and after a two-day stay there, it will proceed to Syria.

Addressing the ceremony on Tuesday, Sabzwari reiterated Islamabad’s commitment to supporting the earthquake victims.

Recalling Ankara’s assistance to the thousands of victims of last year’s super floods across Pakistan, the minister said it is Islamabad’s turn to "pay back to our Turkish brethren."

"It is, no doubt, a tough time, but I am sure, by the grace of Allah, the great and resilient Turkish nation will soon come out of it," he said.

Turkish Consul General Sangu thanked Islamabad on behalf of the government and the people of Türkiye for its continued support to the victims in both disaster-stricken countries.

Pakistani rescue crews were on the ground to help people on the second morning, Sangu noted.

"Your gesture of kindness and love means a lot to us. It makes us feel that we are not alone at this trying time," he maintained.

Apart from the fresh batch of relief goods, Pakistan’s National Disaster and Management Authority (NDMA) has already sent nearly 7,000 winterized tents and more than 33,000 blankets to Türkiye through air and land routes.

In the next two weeks, over 4,000 winterized tents will also arrive by chartered cargo flights.

Moreover, Pakistani charities, including Alkhidmat Foundation, Edhi Foundation, Baitussalam Welfare Trust, Sailani Welfare Trust and the Pakistan Red Crescent, have been engaged in relief and rescue efforts in the earthquake-hit regions.