UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday that he was “deeply saddened” to hear of the extensive loss of life in Türkiye and Syria after a deadly earthquake that claimed more than 1,000 lives.
“My heart goes out to the people of Türkiye and Syria in this hour of tragedy,” Guterres said in a statement.
“I send my deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wish 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.”
The UN chief called on the international community to help the thousands of families hit by the disaster many of whom were already in dire need of humanitarian aid in areas where access is a challenge.
At least 1,498 people were killed and 8,533 others injured after a strong earthquake jolted southern Türkiye on Monday morning, according to the country’s disaster agency, AFAD.
Full statement:
I was deeply saddened to hear of the extensive loss of life caused by the earthquake which affected southern Türkiye and northern Syria earlier today.
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 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.
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.
New York, 6 February 2023
