UPDATE - Turkish group aid helps over 2,000 in Indonesia

ADDS TRUMP COMMENTS

By Ahmet Salih Alacaci

ANKARA (AA) - A Turkish aid group said on Monday that it has reached 2,000 earthquake and tsunami victims in disaster-stricken areas of Indonesia.

A 7.7-magnitude quake hit the island of Sulawesi on Friday, triggering a tsunami and claiming over 1,200 lives in the island’s capital, Palu, according to disaster management authorities.

The Istanbul-based Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) was the first aid agency to respond to the emergency from Turkey, the group said in a statement on Monday.

The foundation had sent a five-person team as soon as the devastating earthquake struck and launched a fundraising campaign for the quake victims.

IHH teams have delivered food and shelter provisions to 2,000 people so far, according to the statement.

“The IHH will continue its activities in the region until the end of the crisis,” the statement added.

The Turkish Red Crescent and Istanbul-based Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) were the first international responders to provide humanitarian and emergency support to the victims of the quake and resulting tsunami, according to an Anadolu Agency official.

U.S. President Donald Trump offered his "warmest" condolences to victims on Monday, saying during a press conference at the White House that he would be calling Indonesian President Joko Widodo soon.

"We have already sent a lot of first responders and military and others to help, but it is a really bad, bad situation,” he said.

*Michael Hernandez contributed to this report from Washington