TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Republic of Indonesia Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, stated that there were no Indonesian citizens who fall victim to the massive 7.9 magnitude earthquake, which occurred on Monday, February 6, 2023, local time.

"So far, there is no Indonesian who died," said the Embassy in its written statement on Monday, February 6, 2023.

However, there Indonesians did suffer injuries, one Indonesian in Kahramanmaras and two Indonesians in Hatay, both of which have been admitted to the nearest hospital.

Furthermore, the embassy informed that a number of Indonesian in Kahramanmaras must leave their apartment because of the heavy damage.

The Indonesian Embassy in Ankara is making attempts to provide temporary shelter for Indonesian who must take refuge while waiting for actions from local authorities.

The epicenter of the earthquake was located in Kahramanmaras Province, some 600 kilometers southeast of Ankara. The massive quake was followed by two aftershocks at a magnitude of 6.4 and 6.5 in the Gaziantep province located 700 kilometers southeast of Turkey.

The Indonesian Embassy in Ankara reported that hundreds of victims have been reported, hundreds of people injured and a number of buildings collapsed and were heavily damaged because of the earthquake. The Embassy also coordinated with local authorities and communicated with members of the Indonesian Protection Task Force and the Indonesian Students Association (PPI) around the region.

Meanwhile, it was reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has communicated with the Governor of Kahramanmaras to deliver his condolences and to inform that the government has mobilized search and rescue teams from all over the country.

The Embassy also reported that Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu informed that their highest priority is to rescue victims trapped in building wreckage and provide emergency assistance for affected people.

The Embassy said that there are around 6,500 Indonesian living all over Turkey. Out of the total number, around 500 people are living in the area affected by the earthquake and its surrounding region. The Embassy added that Indonesians who wanted to gather information can call a hotline at the following number: +90 532 135 22 98.

ANTARA

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