Johannesburg - The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, says that he is deeply saddened to hear of the extensive loss of life caused by the earthquake, which affected southern Türkiye and northern Syria.
"More than 1,500 people have reportedly been killed and many more injured, and the toll continues to rise as rescue efforts continue."
"My heart goes out to the people of Türkiye and Syria in this hour of tragedy. I send my deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to the injured. The United Nations is fully committed to supporting the response. Our teams are on the ground assessing the needs and providing assistance," said Guterres.
Guterres says that he is counting on the international community to help the thousands of families hit by this disaster, many of whom were already in dire need of humanitarian aid in areas where access is a challenge.
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa said that on behalf of the government and people of South Africa, he expressed his deep sadness at the large-scale loss of life and the extent of injuries inflicted by an earthquake that has affected the nations of Türkiye and Syria.
Reportedly, at least 2 300 people have died in the two countries that were affected by the earthquake.
He said that the nation and government are deeply saddened by the unthinkable loss of life in Türkiye and Syria and by the vast damage to social and economic infrastructure with which the two governments and populations are now confronted.
"Our hearts go out to families who have lost loved ones or are searching for relatives, and we wish injured survivors a full recovery," he said.
Ramaphosa has also expressed his appreciation to the South African humanitarian aid organisation, Gift of the Givers, which is joining the international response in Türkiye and Syria.
The Star