PM Modi condoles deaths in Turkey, Syria earthquake, says ‘anguished by loss of lives'
Turkey Earthquake: A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Turkey on Monday followed by another strong jolt which was felt in several provinces in the region.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condoled the loss of lives in Turkey and Syria after a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked the countries.
"Anguished by the loss of lives & damage of property due to earthquake in Turkey. Condolences to bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. India stands in solidarity with people of Turkey & is ready to offer all possible assistance to cope with this tragedy," PM Modi tweeted.
At least 360 people have been killed and hundreds are fear trapped in rubble after two massive back-to-back earthquakes hit central Turkey and northwest Syria on Monday, the impact of which was felt in Cyprus and Lebanon as well. The epicentre of the earthquake was in southeastern Turkey, US Geological Survey (USGS) said adding that the 7.8 magnitude tremor struck at 04:17 local time (01:17 GMT) at a depth of 17.9km (11 miles) near the city of Gaziantep.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan spoke with the governors of eight affected provinces to gather information on the situation and rescue efforts, his office said in a statement.
Read here: Turkey Earthquake LIVE: 200 dead as 7.9 quake rocks Turkey, Syria; rescue ops on
Amid a frantic rescue operation, Turkey also issued a ‘level 4 alarm’ that calls for international assistance, AFP reported. At least 20 aftershocks were felt in the aftermath of the quake, the strongest measuring 6.6, Turkish authorities said. In Syria, the earthquake hit the region with 4 million people displaced from other parts of the country.
