February 27
Amazon Air sends planes to deliver relief supplies to Türkiye and Syria
Two Amazon Air cargo planes loaded with relief supplies flew to Istanbul from the U.S. and Germany over the weekend to deliver aid to earthquake response in Türkiye and Syria.
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The planes delivered tents, sleeping bags, blankets, heaters, and other much-needed supplies. Amazon teams across Europe and the U.S. packed and loaded hundreds of pallets with supplies, totaling more than 100,000 pounds of items. Relying on teams and facilities in both regions allows Amazon to more efficiently move goods thanks to a wider available inventory.
The Amazon-donated products will support the ongoing humanitarian response through partner organizations like the International Organization for Migration (IOM), ensuring that the supplies will be delivered to families who have lost their homes in the affected areas. The work is being done in close coordination with the Government of Türkiye and through implementing partners in northwest Syria.
IOM’s response in the two countries builds on existing expertise in disaster relief, with more than 1,000 staff in Türkiye, 600 of whom are based in the affected areas in southeast Türkiye, and large-scale, cross-border operations in northwest Syria that run from the Turkish city of Gaziantep. More than 1 million people have been reached with immediate relief assistance, and 422 trucks worth of aid have been dispatched in the two countries, with support from national partners in Türkiye and through implementing partners in northwest Syria.
The work is a continuation of Amazon’s efforts in the region. Just days after the devastating earthquake, Amazon sent tens of thousands of relief items to the impacted areas and established a Disaster Relief Hub near Istanbul within four days.
Amazon also made an initial commitment of $600,000 in total cash donations to non-governmental organizations providing critical support. To help customers easily donate to organizations providing help on the ground, the company activated donation campaigns on 16 Amazon stores around the world.
According to officials, more than 48,000 people lost their lives in the earthquake and survivors are struggling with cold weather.
Amazon Web Services provides technical support following the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria
Tech professionals also came together using a chat room to help launch another mapping effort supported by AWS, Afetharita.com, which translates to “disaster map.” The app uses artificial intelligence to create a map showing requests for help posted through social media.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is providing cloud credits and technical support to local organizations that are helping with relief efforts following the devastating earthquake in Türkiye and Syria.
AWS rallied to help the AKUT Search and Rescue Association scale their app Güvendeyim (which translates to “I am Safe” in English) within days of the earthquake to help local residents notify loved ones that they were safe. The app now has over 1 million downloads.
Turkish tech firm Başarsoft also received cloud computing credits through AWS Promotional Credit to create the Earthquake Assistance Needs Mapping Portal. The portal uses location-based social media posts to help direct search efforts to critical areas, such as collapsed buildings and rubble. The app also helps locate people in need of assistance and allows anyone to submit aid requests.
February 10
Amazon establishes Türkiye Disaster Relief Hub to expedite relief
Amazon has created the Türkiye Disaster Relief Hub near Istanbul to quickly provide relief items to areas impacted by the recent earthquake in Türkiye and Syria.
Working with one of Amazon’s local logistics partners, the company has so far converted 2,000 square meters (nearly 21,530 square feet) of warehouse space into a facility that will help move critical supplies to front-line organizations. This facility—set up just four days after the devastating earthquake—will help Amazon expedite the delivery of essential relief items. The company and Amazon customers have donated nearly 100,000 relief items so far, and donations continue to come in.
Teams working at the Türkiye Disaster Relief Hub will handle those donations and other critical supplies, including heaters, blankets, shelter materials, and clothing, in close coordination with local authorities and nonprofits on the ground. The facility was established near Istanbul to improve the arrangement and shipment of relief supplies and quickly help people in impacted areas.
The first four truckloads of Amazon’s donated relief items departed Amazon’s fulfilment center in Istanbul earlier this week to Hatay and Malatya provinces. The first truckload carrying customer donations departed Thursday to Kahramanmaraş Province.
February 9
Amazon helps customers in more countries donate to help earthquake victims
Amazon is helping customers contribute directly to organizations supporting earthquake relief in Türkiye and Syria. Customers in the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, and a growing number of countries can now visit their local sites and donate to organizations like the Red Cross and Red Crescent. Amazon customers in Türkiye can visit the Amazon Türkiye country page to stay up to date on ways to donate and contribute.
Amazon is also providing technology support to organizations responding to the tragedy. The Amazon Web Services Disaster Preparedness and Response team is providing trained technical volunteers and technical solutions to Help. NGO, a United Nations standby partner assisting in the region. So far, Amazon has also provided cash grants to nonprofits on the ground and is using its logistic infrastructure to send relief items to impacted areas.
Officials say the death toll has climbed above 31,000, and cold weather now covers Türkiye and Syria. Amazon has already shipped donated blankets, tents, heaters, food, diapers, baby food, medicine, and other emergency items, and Amazon’s Disaster Relief team continues to field requests for winter survival equipment, clothing, hygiene products, and other items.
February 8
Amazon provides cash donations to non-governmental organizations helping with relief efforts in Türkiye and Syria
Amazon has announced an initial commitment of $500,000 in total cash donations to non-governmental organizations providing critical support in areas affected by the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria.
The organizations include Red Crescent, AKUT (Search and Rescue Association), the AHBAP foundation, World Food Program, Save the Children, and UNICEF. Amazon’s commitment is in addition to the product donations and logistics support that the company is already providing in the region. The first two truckloads of Amazon’s donated relief items departed the company’s fulfillment center in Istanbul on Tuesday, February 7, for Hatay Province. Additional trucks are scheduled to depart in the next few days to Hatay and Malatya provinces. Amazon stands with communities in the regions affected by the devastating earthquake. Amazon teams in Türkiye are closely working with local authorities and nonprofits on the ground to provide relief.
February 7
First shipment of Amazon relief items leaves Istanbul for areas affected by earthquake
A day after the devastating earthquake in Türkiye, the first truckload of Amazon’s donated relief items departed the company’s fulfillment center in Istanbul.
The supplies are heading to Hatay Province and include heaters, blankets, and other goods to aide first responders and help victims stay warm amid frigid weather. Rescue operations are ongoing following the Monday morning earthquake, which officials say killed over 7,700 people.
Amazon customers in Türkiye can help by donating through a new donations page on Amazon.com.tr. Within three hours of the page going live on Tuesday, customers had donated more than 5,000 items to help earthquake victims.
As of Tuesday morning, all of Amazon’s nearly 2,000 workers in Türkiye were safe and accounted for. We continue to be in contact with organizations on the ground and the Turkish government to learn more about what’s needed in areas impacted by the earthquake, and we will work with partners to deliver relief items and logistical support.
February 6
Just after 4 a.m. local time on Monday, February 6, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Türkiye and the surrounding region, causing widespread devastation. Local authorities have confirmed at least 2,600 deaths and expect the figure to increase as search and rescue efforts continue.
To assist impacted communities, Amazon has activated its disaster relief capabilities and is responding to help meet the immediate needs of the Red Crescent and other relief organizations. We are preparing to ship donated relief items from our fulfillment center in Istanbul to affected areas. Our donations will include items such as blankets, tents, heaters, food, diapers, baby food, medicine, and other emergency items as victims face not only the damage from the earthquake but frigid winter weather.
We expect the first truckloads to depart on Wednesday.
“This immediate delivery is just the beginning of Amazon’s response,” said Abe Diaz, head of Amazon’s Disaster Relief program. “Over the coming days, we’ll work with local organizations and disaster-relief groups to identify on-the-ground needs and use Amazon’s logistics and delivery network to meet them.”
Amazon has nearly 2,000 workers in Türkiye and no facilities in the impacted areas. Our local leaders spent the day Monday ensuring that staff and their families were safe and accounted for. We are committed to continue leveraging our infrastructure, inventory, and teams to provide the relief that’s needed.
Read more about Disaster Relief by Amazon.
