Ten Indonesians were hurt in the earthquakes that devastated Turkey and Syria, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today, while two more are feared missing.
“As of Feb. 7, 10 Indonesian nationals were reported hurt, four of whom are receiving medical help while the other six are being evacuated to Ankara for treatment,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said in a press briefing.
Separately, Indonesia’s Ambassador to Turkey, Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, said some of the injured Indonesian nationals suffered bone fractures.
The diplomat also said that the embassy has thus far failed to establish contact with two Indonesians known to be working as spa therapists in the Turkish city of Diyarbakir, which is located some 200 miles from the earthquake’s epicenter.
According to the embassy, approximately 500 Indonesians reside in the southeastern Turkish regions devastated by the quake. Some of them have been displaced, as their apartments were among scores of buildings that collapsed from the quake’s immense destructive power.
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck near the Turkish city of Gaziantep in the morning of Feb. 6. Twelve hours later, a second quake, registering 7.5 in magnitude, struck 80 miles to the north.
The two quakes leveled countless buildings in southeastern Turkey and neighboring Syria, which is already ravaged by war. As of this article’s publication, At least 3,381 people were confirmed dead in Turkey, while the death toll in Syria stands at 1,444. An untold number of people are believed to be trapped in rubble.
The World Health Organization (WHO) fears the final death toll could exceed 20,000.
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