Indonesia expresses its deep condolences to the earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria. As a form of support and assistance, today (21/2), President Joko Widodo released humanitarian aid that was brought by four planes to the two countries.
This help is not the first aid that Indonesia has sent to the two countries. Jokowi said that previously RI had sent SAR teams and medical teams, field hospitals, and Hercules planes to help evacuate earthquake victims.
“This morning, we will send four planes to Turkiye and Syria, containing 140 tons of food and other logistical materials that are very much needed there,” Jokowi said at the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base, Wednesday (21/2/2023).
Jokowi hopes that the assistance Indonesia sends can help and ease the burden on earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria.
Furthermore, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi also explained that the 40 tons of assistance provided were in the form of food and logistical equipment. This assistance is expected to ease the burden that must be borne by the two countries.
In addition, he provided an update that so far four Indonesian citizens had died as a result of the earthquake. As many as two of them have been buried in Turkey and the other two were returned to Indonesia at the request of their families.
“So the Garuda plane that will bring aid to Turkey when it returns will bring the two bodies plus 85 Indonesian citizens who were affected and they want to return to Indonesia,” said Retno.
Meanwhile, regarding earthquake news updates, more than 46 thousand people died after two weeks of an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 rocked Turkey to Syria on February 6. Turkey’s Disaster Management Agency (AFAD) reported the number of victims in the country reached 41,020 as of Sunday (19/2), Reuters was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, victims in Syria recorded more than 5,800 people. Thus, the total death toll in the two countries reached 46,820 thousand people.
Not only the victims died, but around 345 thousand apartments in Turkey were destroyed. In addition, many people are still reported missing. Two weeks after the earthquake, Turkey announced it was ending the search for victims.
However, the head of AFAD Turkey, Yunis Sezer, said that currently, rescue efforts are still ongoing in 40 buildings in Kahramanmaras and Hatay provinces. The two provinces were the areas most affected by the earthquake.
However, many people are surprised because there are still many victims who are still missing and trapped in the ruins.
