Condolences pored in from around the world after a massive earthquake hit Turkey, killing more than 1,800 people in the country and neighbouring Syria on Monday.
World leaders including Russian President Putin, China’s Xi, Indian Prime Minister Modi and French President Macron expressed condolences and stepped forward to provide aid to Turkey.
The 7.8-magnitude night-time tremor, followed hours later by a slightly smaller one, wiped out entire sections of major Turkish cities in a region filled with millions of people who have fled the civil war in Syria and other conflicts.
The head of Syria’s National Earthquake Centre, Raed Ahmed, called it “the biggest earthquake recorded in the history of the centre”.
India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed deep anguish at the deaths and devastation caused by the earthquake in Syria.
“Deeply pained to learn that the devastating earthquake has also affected Syria. My sincere condolences to the families of the victims. We share the grief of Syrian people and remain committed to provide assistance and support in this difficult time,” Modi tweeted.
Deeply pained to learn that the devastating earthquake has also affected Syria. My sincere condolences to the families of the victims. We share the grief of Syrian people and remain committed to provide assistance and support in this difficult time.— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 6, 2023
The Indian government also decided to immediately dispatch search and rescue teams of the National Disaster Response Force, medical teams and relief material to earthquake-hit Turkey following PM Modi’s instructions to offer all possible assistance to the country.
US
US President Joe Biden said he is saddened by the loss of life in the earthquake and added that the US will provide any needed assistance.
I am deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation caused by the earthquake in Turkiye and Syria. I have directed my team to continue to closely monitor the situation in coordination with Turkiye and provide any and all needed assistance.— President Biden (@POTUS) February 6, 2023
“I am deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation caused by the earthquake in Turkiye and Syria. I have directed my team to continue to closely monitor the situation in coordination with Turkiye and provide any and all needed assistance,” Biden said in a tweet.
China
China’s President Xi Jinping sent his condolences to Turkish and Syrian leaders on Monday and expressed sympathy for their families.
Xi told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in separate messages he was “shocked” to learn of the disaster, state broadcaster CCTV reported. He also conveyed “deep condolences for the dead and sincere sympathy for their families as well as for the injured”, it said.
Russia
President Vladimir Putin also expressed condolences and offered Russian aid to Turkey and Syria.
“We share the sadness and the pain of those who lost their loved ones and we hope for a speedy recovery for all the injured, and are ready to provide the assistance needed to overcome the impact of this natural disaster,” Putin said in a message to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad.
In a separate message to Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Putin asked him to “convey words of sincere sympathy and support” to the families of the victims and said Russia was “ready to provide required assistance”.
France
French President Emmanuel Macron said his country stood ready to provide emergency aid to Turkey and Syria. “We are receiving terrible images from Turkey and Syria following an earthquake of unprecedented force,” Macron tweeted.
Des images terribles nous viennent de Turquie et de Syrie après un tremblement de terre d'une force inédite. La France se tient prête à apporter une aide d'urgence aux populations sur place. Nos pensées vont aux familles endeuillées.— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) February 6, 2023
“France is ready to provide emergency relief to the populations on the ground. Our thoughts are with the bereaved families,” said the French president, whose relations with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have often been strained.
Germany
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised aid after the earthquake struck Turkey and Syria. “We are following the news of the earthquake in the Turkish-Syrian border region with shock,” Scholz said on Twitter. “Germany will of course send help.”
Mit Bestürzung verfolgen wir die Nachrichten vom #Erdbeben in der türkisch-syrischen Grenzregion. Die Zahl der Todesopfer steigt immer weiter. Wir trauern mit den Angehörigen und bangen mit den Verschütteten. Deutschland wird selbstverständlich Hilfe schicken. #Türkei #Syrien— Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz (@Bundeskanzler) February 6, 2023
Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his war-torn country was “ready to provide the necessary assistance to overcome the consequences of the disaster.”
The message was reiterated by Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who said Ukraine was “deeply saddened by the loss of life and damage” wreaked by the earthquake.
European Union
The European Union said it was sending rescue teams to Turkey after the stricken country requested EU assistance.
“Teams from the Netherlands and Romania are already on their way,” EU crisis management commissioner Janez Lenarcic tweeted, adding the bloc’s Civil Protection Mechanism had been activated.
Spain
Spain is sending drones and a contingent from its Emergency Military Unit, a branch of the armed forces responsible for providing disaster relief, to Turkey, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said in a tweet.
Iran
Iran is ready to provide “immediate relief aid to these two friendly nations”, President Ebrahim Raisi said, offering condolences on the “heartbreaking incident”.
(With inputs from AFP)
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