Emre Basaran
14 February 2023•Update: 15 February 2023
ANKARA
The American people are providing "whatever assistance they can" to the survivors of last week’s powerful quakes in southern Türkiye, US Ambassador in Ankara Jeffry Flake said Tuesday.
"They are raising funds, they are donating blood, food, and medical supplies, and certainly sharing messages of solidarity with the Turkish people," he added in a statement.
"American people have been deeply affected by what is happening here in Türkiye."
He also said that since he took his post in Ankara last January, he and his wife "have been fortunate to travel in many of these areas that have been impacted by the earthquake."
The envoy also said that they have experienced "the hospitality of Turkish people."
"The Embassy community the Consulate community - all of us - have been deeply affected by what happened and we’d like to help. We are working in lockstep with our Turkish counterparts to make sure that we deliver for the people of Türkiye things that they need," he said.
"Two urban search and rescue teams have been working very hard in Adıyaman over the last week to make sure that rescues still happen," Flake added.
"We are determined to do whatever we can over the next weeks, next months, and however long it takes to help our Turkish friends," he underlined.
"Gecmis olsun, Türkiye!" he concluded, using the Turkish phrase for “get well soon.”
On Feb. 6, two massive earthquakes struck southern Türkiye.
The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 tremors were centered in Kahramanmaras and hit nine other provinces – Hatay, Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Malatya, Adana, Diyarbakir, Kilis, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa.
They also hit several countries and caused widespread destruction in northern Syria.
At least 3,500 people were killed in Türkiye, according to the latest official figures, while the death toll topped 3,600 in Syria.
