Earthquakes kill thousands in Turkey and Syria, death toll keeps rising
(VOVWORLD) -Death toll of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that early Monday morning struck southern Turkey and northwestern Syria continues to rise to over 4,300. Nearly 14,500 people were injured and 5,600 houses destroyed. This has been one of the strongest earthquakes to hit Turkey in more than 100 years.
 Rescuers and volunteers search for victims and survivors trapped in the rubble after a strong earthquake in the village of Besnia, near the town of Harim, Idlib province (Syria), bordering Turkey, February 6, 2022. Photo: AFP/VNA
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said UN staff are in Turkey and Syria to assess needs and provide assistance. "We count 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," Guterres added.
The World Health Organization has deployed more medical staff to the southern city of Gaziantep. The WHO voiced concerned that Syria, which is grappling with a multi-year humanitarian crisis, an economic crisis and a widespread cholera epidemic, may not have enough resources to deal with the quake’ aftermath.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi said the agency is ready to provide emergency assistance to those affected.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed “full solidarity with our ally Turkey in the aftermath of this terrible earthquake... NATO Allies are mobilizing support now.” The UK said it would send search and rescue experts and an emergency medical team to Turkey.
President Joe Biden called Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday to express condolences. The White House in statement said that Biden underscored “the readiness of the United States to provide any and all needed assistance” to its NATO ally Turkey.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone call with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad and pledged to send a rescue and aid team there.
 Rescuers search for victims under the rubble of collapsed buildings in Adana, Turkey. Source: AP
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The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that as of Monday afternoon, there were no reports of Vietnamese citizens affected by earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
The Ministry has directed the Vietnamese Embassies in Turkey and in Iran (concurrently Syria) to contact local authorities and the Vietnamese community to find out information and be prepared to protect citizens once they are found in distress.
To receive support in case of need, Vietnamese can contact the citizen protection hotline of the Vietnamese Embassy in Turkey: +90 545785854, the Vietnamese Embassy in Iran (concurrently in Syria): +989306459865, and Citizen Protection Switchboard: +84.9818848484.