The Italian government's overseas aid department has arranged a second humanitarian airlift of essential items for victims of the powerful earthquake that struck Iraq and Iran, Italy's foreign ministry announced on Thursday.
“In response to the request for help from the Authorities of the Autonomous Kurdistan Region in Iraq, in addition to the intervention on 13 November, we have organised a second humanitarian flight by the Italian Cooperation service to help the victims of the devastating earthquake that hit Iraq and Iran,” said foreign minister Angelino Alfano.
“The second humanitarian flight by the Italian Cooperation service took off last night from the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) in Brindisi, which is managed by the World Food Programme, and headed to Sulaymaniyah in Iraq, carrying more than 10 tons of aid for the populations struck by the earthquake, including first-aid kits, tents, blankets and other relief supplies such as hygiene kits and cooking utensils.”
Sunday's magnitude 7.3 earthquake that killed over 500 people, injured nearly 10,000 and left tens of thousands homeless on the border between northwest Iran and eastern Iraq.
