MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday said the Philippines is ready to help the countries of Turkey and Syria “in whatever way it can” following the massive earthquake there that has killed hundreds.
“Our thoughts and prayers go to the peoples and governments of Turkey and Syria following the strong earthquake that has claimed many lives and caused massive destruction to their countries,” Marcos said in a tweet.
“The Philippines is ready to help in whatever way it can in responding to this disaster,” he added.
As of writing, Marcos Jr. has yet to give details as to the forms of assistance the Philippines would extend to the two countries.
In a separate statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that it continues to reach out to Filipino communities in the Turkish provinces of Gaziantep, Hatay, Adana, and Mersin, some of the areas that bore the brunt of the earthquake.
Some 4,006 Filipinos are based in Turkey, most of whom live in the country’s largest city, Istanbul. But as of writing, the DFA has yet to confirm if there were any Filipino casualties from the earthquake.
“Turkish officials said that among the provinces which have suffered damage include Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Osmaniye, Adıyaman, Malatya, Şanlıurfa, Adana, Diyarbakır, and Kilis,” the DFA also said.
The department said that the Philippine Embassy in Ankara was ready to assist Filipinos affected by the earthquake.
The embassy may be reached via WhatsApp at +905345772344, and via email at [email protected].
Authorities said at least 284 people in Turkey and 245 others in Syria were killed by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake, with its epicenter located 23 kilometers east of Nurdağı, Gaziantep along the Turkey-Syria border.
More than 2,300 people were injured by the temblor in Turkey, officials said, with search and rescue operations still ongoing in several major cities.
—with a report from Agence France-Presse
Source: ABS-CBN News