Anonymous donor gives $30M toward earthquake victims

An anonymous donor contributed a stunning $30 million to the victims of two powerful earthquakes that have devastated Turkey and Syria, leaving more than a million displaced and tens of thousands dead.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif revealed Saturday the donor walked into the Turkish embassy in the United States to make the hefty donation as the death toll from the quakes has exceeded 33,000.

“Deeply moved by the example of an anonymous Pakistani who walked into Turkish embassy in the US & donated $30 million for earthquake victims in Turkey & Syria,” Sharif stated.

“These are such glorious acts of philanthropy that enable humanity to triumph over the seemingly insurmountable odds.”

The natural disaster, which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called the “disaster of the century,” rocked southeastern Turkey and northern Syria last Monday. The original 7.8 magnitude earthquake was then followed by a 7.5 quake hours later.

Turkey reported 29,605 deaths so far while the overall fatalities in Syria was reported at 3,553. The country’s rebel-held region death toll reached 2,166, the rescue group the White Helmets said, and the government-held parts of the country was at 1,387, though that grim tally has not been updated in days.

The $30 million donation comes as the Pakistan government put together a committee to collect money and supplies for earthquake victims, Anadolu Agency reported. The state-run Turkish outlet reported the funds and items would be sent to the two countries in a timely matter.

More than 80,000 people were reported injured as rescue crews were still pulling survivor from the wreckage. The death toll was also expected to climb as more bodies are found underneath the rubble. More than 1 million are without a home.

Officials in Turkey have issued warrants for about 130 people accused of slipshod construction of buildings that collapsed on occupants during the violent tremors. The construction codes in the country were rarely enforced though in the lead-up to deadly event.

With Post wires