Turkiye earthquake: Anwar conveys condolences to Erdogan

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has conveyed his condolences to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and offered prayers for victims of the strong earthquake that rocked Turkiye last Monday.

In a post on his Twitter account on Saturday (Feb 11), Anwar informed that he had contacted the Turkish President as soon as he arrived from Bangkok, Thailand after a two-day official visit to the neighbouring country that began on Thursday (Feb 9).

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"The Malaysian government has sent two Smart (Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance Rescue Team) rescue teams and built a field hospital, in addition to the donation drives carried out by Malaysians to help our brothers there,” he said.

The Prime Minister in a press conference on Wednesday (Feb 8) announced that Malaysia will channel over US$2 million (more than RM8.6 million) to Turkiye and Syria to help victims of the earthquake in both countries.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Armed Forces is arranging the level three deployment of teams and equipment from its field hospital to Turkiye for a period of six weeks, to provide humanitarian aid to earthquake victims in that country.

An earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, which hit southern Turkiye and northwestern Syria on Monday (Feb 6), has claimed thousands of lives. The effects of the earthquake were also reported to be felt in Cyprus and Lebanon. - Bernama