High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič, issued the following statement, APA reports.
"A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.8 on the Richter scale – one of the strongest earthquakes in the region in more than 100 years – struck the province of Gaziantep in Türkiye, which impacted neighboring Syria as well, overnight.
In an immediate response, the European Union has mobilized search and rescue teams for Türkiye following its request to activate the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
10 Urban Search and Rescue teams have been quickly mobilised from Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, and Romania to support the first responders on the ground. Italy and Hungary have offered their rescue teams to Türkiye as well. The EU's Emergency Response Coordination Centre is in direct contact with the authorities in Türkiye to coordinate further support if needed.
The EU's Copernicus satellite system has also been activated to provide emergency mapping services.
The EU is also ready to support those affected in Syria, which has also reported casualties, through its humanitarian assistance programmes.
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Rescue teams from the Netherlands and Romania are on their way to Türkiye, says European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, APA reports.
"In the wake of the earthquake in Türkiye this morning, we have activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The EU's Emergency Response Coordination Centrcoordinatesng the deployment of rescue teams from Europe. Teams from the Netherlands and Romania are already on their way," he stressed.
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