By Gabriela Baron
The Philippine Embassy in Ankara said it has yet to receive reports about Filipinos who died nor sustained injuries during the magnitude 7.8 tremor that rocked Turkey early Monday morning, Feb. 6.
According to multiple reports, over 500 people died in Turkey and Syria after a devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Gaziantep, located along the Turkey-Syria border, on Monday.
In a statement, the Philippine Embassy in Ankara extended its condolences to the people of Turkey who died from the strong quake.
“We wish for the speedy recovery of the wounded and deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of the victims,” the Embassy said.
The Embassy assured it continues to reach out to Filipino communities in Turkey and its other contacts in the region.
“[As] of this writing, [the Embassy] has not received reports of Filipino casualties in the provinces of Gaziantep, Hatay, Adana, and Mersin,” it said.
The Embassy, however, vowed to continue monitoring the situation of the Filipinos affected by the quake and assured that it is ready to provide assistance.
There are currently 4,006 Filipinos in Turkey, mostly concentrated in Istanbul, according to the Embassy.
Among the provinces which have suffered damage include Gaziantep, Kahramanmaras, Hatay, Osmaniye, Adiyaman, Malatya, Sanliurfa Adana, Diyarbakir, and Kilis.
The quake was also felt in Cyprus and Lebanon.
