In August 1999 a devastating earthquake struck North Western Turkey, it caused significant structural damage and killed thousands. The earthquake measured 7.9 on the Richter Scale and official damage estimates were placed at 17,127 killed and 43,953 injured. Over 120,000 houses were damaged beyond repair and over 2,000 buildings collapsed.
Khalsa Aid initiated a relief project which was led by current CEO, Ravi Singh. Khalsa Aid provided thousands of pairs of socks and tens of thousands of water purification tablets. These relief items were sent to the offices of the Turkish Red Crescent in Istanbul via Turkish Airlines and distributed to affected people in temporary shelters.
