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Turkey-Syria earthquake leave thousands dead, rescue missions ongoing

Rescue missions are ongoing for survivors trapped in the rubble

by Staff Writer
Image: REUTERS

A major 7.9 magnitude earthquake, left thousands of people killed after it struck central Turkey and northwest Syria on Monday. Buildings collapsed, with rescue efforts ongoing for survivors trapped in the rubble.

The earthquake hit at 4:17 AM local time, and was felt as far away as Lebanon, Greece, and Israel.

The country’s interior minister Süleyman Soylu said 10 cities had been affected by the earthquake, adding that Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Osmaniye, Adiyaman, Malatya, Sanliurfa, Adana, Diyarbakir and Kilis had all suffered damage.

Death toll has risen over 8,300 in the aftermath of the tremors felt across the two countries.

UAE rushes to aid Turkey, Syria

The UAE has rushed humanitarian aid to the earthquake-affected regions in Turkey and Syria.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said field hospitals are being established and search and rescue teams are being dispatched to the quake-hit areas.

Earlier on Monday, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed also spoke to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, expressing his heartfelt condolences and sympathies for the presidents and their people.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed reiterated UAE’s support for both Syria and Turkey and offered to provide every possible assistance in their efforts to mitigate the impact of the earthquake.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, directed the dispatch of urgent humanitarian aid worth AED50 million to Syria.

Sheikh Mohammed affirmed that the UAE is ready to support the Syrian brothers in facing this great calamity that befell them, and said that his country stands by the Syrian people and will continue to extend a helping hand to them until they overcome the ordeal.

The aid will be delivered in the form of ration parcels through the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives to the most affected groups in Syria.

The UAE has been keen to make humanitarian and development assistance an essential part of its foreign relations, and for years it has topped the global lists of the largest donors in the field of official development assistance (ODA) in comparison to its national income.

Other Gulf countries have also joined the UAE in the rescue effort and urgent aid. Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar have announced they will send aid and rescue teams to the affected countries

A 7-year-old girl protects her little brother’s head while they were under the rubble for 17 hours. Image: Twitter/@mhdksafa
Ariel view of the earthquake’s impact on Hatay, Turkey. Image: REUTERS
A woman holds a child in front of a rubble following an earthquake in Gaziantep, Turkey. Image: REUTERS
An aerial view of collapsed and damaged buildings following an earthquake in Hatay, Turkey. Image: REUTERS
Black smoke emits from a fire at central Iskenderun in Turkey after the earthquake. Image: REUTERS
Rescuers search for survivors under the rubble at Jandaris, Syria. Image: REUTERS
A girl is rescued under a collapsed building in Jandaris, Syria. Image: REUTERS
A doll lies in front of a collapsed mosque following an earthquake in Hatay, Turkey. Image: REUTERS
A new born baby was rescued after it was trapped under a collapsed building. Image: SkyNews
Rescuers looking for casualties Adana, Turkey. Image: REUTERS

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