Last year’s FIFA World Cup host nation Qatar has donated 10,000 cabins and caravans used during the tournament to areas impacted by the catastrophic earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

At least 41,000 people have died since the initial 7.8 magnitude quake and aftershocks struck last Monday (February 6), and the disaster has had a devastating impact on cities in both countries.

More than one million people have lost their homes in Turkey, and it is feared the number is much higher in Syria.

International relief efforts are ongoing, with the focus switching from rescuing survivors under the rubble to providing food, psychological care and shelter.

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who is an International Olympic Committee member, was the first foreign leader to visit Turkey since the earthquake when he travelled to Istanbul to hold talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on how the Gulf state could help to “mitigate this disaster” on Sunday (February 12).

It has pledged to send 10,000 mobile housing units used to reduce the burden of accommodation at the Qatar 2022 World Cup to Turkey and Syria.

“In view of the urgent needs in Turkey and Syria, we have taken the decision to ship our cabins and caravans to the region, providing much needed and immediate support to the people of Turkey and Syria,” a Qatari official told Reuters.

Fans reportedly paid around £175 ($213/€198) per night to stay in the cabins located in empty stretches of desert at the World Cup, where there were complaints over issues including leaky toilets.

The first batch of the mobile homes have been dispatched to Turkey and Syria.

Qatar is also donating tents, food packages and medical supplies to assist relief efforts, and has about 130 people on the ground in Turkey.

Turkey and Qatar had already built strong ties in recent years, particularly since the Saudi-led blockade of Qatar in 2017, which ended in 2021.

Erdoğan, who has led Turkey since 2003 and faced accusations of pursuing an increasingly authoritarian approach particularly since a failed military coup in 2016, faced criticism for the Government’s response to the earthquakes.

He accepted there were shortcomings in the initial stages of the response, but has insisted the situation is now under control.