By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed deep sadness on behalf of the government and people of South Africa at the large-scale loss of life and extent of injuries caused by an earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria.
A massive earthquake killed over 2 600 people across Turkey and northwest Syria, with freezing winter weather adding to the plight of the many thousands left injured or homeless and hampering efforts to find survivors.
The magnitude 7.8 quake brought down whole apartment blocks in Turkish cities and piled more devastation on millions of Syrians displaced by years of war.
The worst tremor to strike Turkey this century, it came before sunrise in harsh weather and was followed in the early afternoon by another large quake of magnitude 7.7.
The earthquake was the biggest quake recorded worldwide by the U.S. Geological survey since a tremor in the remote South Atlantic in August 2021.
In Turkey, the death toll stood at 1,541, Vice President Fuat Oktay said. At least 928 people were killed in Syria, according to figures from the Damascus government and rescue workers in the northwestern region controlled by insurgents.
“Our nation and Government are deeply saddened by the unthinkable loss of life in Turkey 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,” says Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa has also expressed his appreciation to the South African humanitarian aid organisation, Gift of the Givers, which is joining the international response in Türkey and Syria.
Gift of the Givers on Monday said search-and-rescue teams as well as medical teams with specialised equipment, are on standby to fly to travel to Turkey and Syria.
Organisation founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman says teams quickly evacuated children from a care centre in Turkey.
Dr Sooliman says a call was made to them by the Turkish government for assistance in this disaster.
He says South Africa’s ambassador to Turkey Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba has also reached out to the organisation asking for its help.
Dr Sooliman added that its teams are expected to fly out tomorrow to bolster search and rescue efforts.