Rahul Gandhi ‘anguished’ over loss of lives caused by earthquake in Turkey, Syria

New Delhi: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Monday expressed grief at the loss of life and devastation caused by an earthquake in Tukey urging the global community to come together to ensure “swift relief” in the affected region.

Taking to Twitter, the Wayanad MP said, “Anguished by the news of lives lost in the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria. The global community must come together to ensure swift relief to the affected region. My thoughts are with families of those who have lost their loved ones.”

Party President Mallikarjun Kharge also said that he was “deeply saddened” by the huge loss of life and property in the massive earthquake that rattled Turkey and nearby areas.

“We are deeply saddened by the huge loss of life and property by the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria. In this hour of grief, every Indian stands with the affected people of both the countries. Our sincere thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims,” Kharge said.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled the loss of lives in the earthquake.

Deeply anguished over the loss of lives and property in Turkey, the Prime Minister said, adding that India stands in solidarity with Turkey in this tough time.

PM Modi, while addressing the people at the India Energy Week 2023 event, in Bengaluru, Karnataka said that India is ready to provide all possible help to the earthquake-affected people in Turkey.

At least 1,541 people were killed and 9733 others were injured when two earthquakes hit southern provinces of Turkey on Monday, Anadolu Agency reported citing Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay.

An earthquake of magnitude 7.7, centered in the Pazarcik district, jolted Kahramanmaras and hit several provinces, including Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Adana, Adiyaman, Malatya, Osmaniye, Hatay, and Kilis, as per the Anadolu Agency report.

Later, an earthquake of magnitude 7.6 centered in Kahramanmaras’s Elbistan district jolted the region. Fuat Oktay said that earthquakes had a total of 145 aftershocks and 3,741 buildings collapsed, as per the news report. The earthquake was also felt in several neighboring countries, including Lebanon and Syria.

Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) said that nearly 9700 search and rescue personnel have been working in the region, as per the Anadolu Agency report. According to AFAD, there is no tsunami threat to the Eastern Mediterranean coasts in Turkey.

The death toll in Syria due to the earthquake has reached 237 deaths and 639 injured, mostly in Lattakia, Aleppo, Hama, and Tartous, SANA reported. As per the news report, Syria has called on United Nations member states and other international organizations to help support the efforts made by the Syrian government to face the effects of the earthquake that jolted the nation.