Prague/Rome, Aug 25 (CTK) – Czech humanitarian organisations are collecting money for the central Italian areas that were hit by a strong earthquake, which claimed at least 241 lives on Wednesday, the charity organisations Caritas CR, ADRA, Czech Red Cross and the fire corps have told CTK.
The Czech government has offered its condolences to the families of the earthquake victims, PM Bohuslav Sobotka said on Wednesday.
The Foreign Ministry has no information about any Czechs being afflicted by the earthquake, its spokeswoman Michaela Lagronova has told CTK.
The Italian authorities have not yet asked Czech rescuers for help, Firefighters’ Corps General Directorate spokeswoman Nicole Zaoralova told CTK on Thursday.
If they had needed an acute help, they would have asked for it already. However, Italy has its own experienced dog handlers to search for people in the debris, she added.
The Czech government has not received a request from Italy for aid either and it does not expect it now since rescue teams are usually sent within hours in such situations, government spokesman Martin Ayrer said.
“If it happened, Italy must ask us through the European Commission. The Czech Republic is then able to deploy a rescue team in a few hours,” he added.
People can send money in aid to Italy to the account of the Caritas Czech Republic non-profit organisations: 55660022/0800.
Moreover, it will release 100,000 crowns from its fund to the Italian Bishops’ Conference, which is the administrator of the organisations providing humanitarian aid on the spot of the tragedy.
The emergency fund includes part of the proceeds from this year’s Epiphany public fund-raising campaign that is annually held in January, Caritas CR director Lukas Curylo said.
The Czech branch of the ADRA international humanitarian organisation also runs as public fund-raising for Italy. People can send aid to its account 66888866/0300 or a donor’s text message by their mobile phones with the text “DMS ADRA” to 87777. ADRA receives 28.50 crowns from each message.
ADRA has also earmarked 100,000 crowns for immediate humanitarian aid to Italy. Besides, workers of the ADRA branch in Italy are helping directly in the field.
Czechs can also send money to the Red Cross’s account 333999/2700 or “DMS CCK” text message to 87 777 number by mobile phones as in the case of ADRA.
