By Gabriela Baron
At least 248 Filipinos in Turkey were affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck the said country and Syria early Monday morning, Feb. 6, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
According to the DFA, the affected Filipinos live in quake-hit areas, including Gaziantep, Hatay, Adana, Mersin, and Sanliurfa.
“The Embassy immediately set up its crisis command center to coordinate its actions with the Filipino community leaders in the affected provinces and Turkish authorities,” the DFA said.
The DFA said it has been receiving reports of Filipinos “experiencing varying levels of distress,” and vowed to “act swiftly” on all confirmed reports.
It assured that its Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs is processing the aid it can extend to distressed Filipinos there.
The agency also called on Filipinos in Turkey to “extend their acts of charity towards our Turkish brethren and our kababayans,” as well as urged them to share vital information on any Filipinos who may be at risk in the affected areas.
Meanwhile, DFA also reported that 60 Filipinos in Syria were also affected by the strong tremor.
The death toll from the quake jumped to over 7,800, based on data from authorities and rescuers. –ag
