No Filipinos reported hurt in Turkey quake, but embassy ready to extend help
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Embassy in Ankara assured Filipinos in Turkey that the foreign service post is ready to extend assistance after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit the country’s southeastern region.
There are around 4,006 Filipino nationals residing in Turkey and majority of them are in Instanbul, which is located in the northwest. As of writing, the Philippine embassy said there are no reports of Filipino nationals who were hurt or killed in the earthquake.
"The embassy continues to reach out to the Filipino communities and its other contacts in the region and, as of this writing, has not received reports of Filipino casualties in the provinces of Gaziantep, Hatay, Adana, and Mersin," the foreign service post said in a statement Monday.
Turkish officials noted that the provinces that suffered the most damage are Gaziantep, Kahramanmaras, Hatay, Osmaniye, Adiyaman, Malatya, Urfa province, Adana, Diyarbak?r, and Kilis
The quake was also felt in Syria, while tremors hit Cyprus and Lebanon. The Department of Foreign Affairs said it is still checking with other foreign service posts on the situation of Filipino nationals.
Over 1,200 dead
The most powerful earthquake in nearly a century struck Turkey and Syria early Monday, killing over 1,200 people in their sleep, levelling buildings and causing tremors felt as far away as Iraq.
The 7.8-magnitude quake wiped out entire sections of major Turkish cities in a restless 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, told pro-government radio that this was "the biggest earthquake recorded in the history of the centre".
At least 326 people died in government-controlled parts of Syria, according to the latest toll.
At least 912 people also died in Turkey, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.
Back home, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. extended “thoughts and prayers” to those affected by the quake, saying the Philippines will support Türkiye and Syria “in whatever way it can.”
Our thoughts and prayers go to the peoples and governments of Türkiye and Syria following the strong earthquake that has claimed many lives and caused massive destruction to their countries. The Philippines is ready to help in whatever way it can in responding to this disaster.
— Bongbong Marcos (@bongbongmarcos) February 6, 2023
– Kaycee Valmonte with reports from Agence France Presse / Mahmut Bozarslan and Aya Iskandarani
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