ANKARA, February 15 – Türkiye will never forget the friendship and support provided by the international community after last week’s devastating earthquakes centered on the country’s southern provinces, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.
“I would like to once again thank in your presence all friendly and brotherly countries who have been collecting aid for our nation day and night, supporting our search and rescue efforts with their teams and keeping us in their prayers,” Erdogan said in a statement. Video message sent to the 2023 World Government Summit hosted by the United Arab Emirates.
“We will never forget the friendship they have extended us during this difficult time,” he added.
Türkiye has received solidarity messages from more than 100 states, the president said, adding that “the disaster once again demonstrated the importance of international solidarity.” Türkiye was hit by two massive earthquakes measuring respectively 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude on February 6.
The tremors affected a 500-kilometre-wide region in 10 Turkish provinces that are home to 13.5 million people, according to the Turkish president. “Together with the adjacent cities where the tremors were felt, the disaster has affected up to 20 million people,” Erdogan said.
“According to scientists, the energy released by these earthquakes is as powerful as 500 atomic bombs. We are witnessing not only one of the greatest natural disasters in the history of our country, but of all humanity,” he said.
The Turkish government has speeded up the setting up of tents, containers and prefabricated houses for earthquake survivors, while search and rescue operations are underway, along with debris removal work, Erdogan said, adding that rescue teams pulled more than 8,000 people out of the quake alive. debris.
