The National Football League (NFL) encouraged American football fans on Sunday to contribute to ongoing earthquake relief efforts in Türkiye and Syria ahead of the most heavily-viewed sports event in the US.
"While we're here getting ready for an incredible Super Bowl between the Chiefs and the Eagles, we also acknowledge the devastation in Turkey and Syria as those countries experience the aftermath of earthquakes that have claimed thousands of lives," an on-field anchor said in the final minutes before the Super Bowl's kickoff.
"We offer our continued prayers and encourage fans to visit www.redcross.org/nfl to support those relief efforts," she added as players warmed up on the field ahead of the big game.
The message was echoed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who asked fans to "please take a moment to listen to the appeal to help those in need in Türkiye and Syria. The U.S. government and everyday Americans are stepping up. Learn how you can help," he wrote, including a link to the United States Agency for International Development's (USAID's) Center for International Disaster Information.
At least 29,605 people in Türkiye were killed by two strong earthquakes that jolted the country's southeast last Monday, the country's disaster agency said Sunday.
The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes affected more than 13 million people across 10 provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Sanliurfa.
In neighboring war-torn Syria, at least 3,574 people were killed and thousands of others injured in the northern provinces of Idlib, Latakia, Aleppo, Hama and Raqqa, according to government sources and rescue officials in opposition-held areas.
