Türkiye briefs UN Security Council members on recent earthquakes

By Islam Dogru

UNITED NATIONS (AA) - Türkiye briefed the UN Security Council on Monday about the recent earthquakes that left more than 31,000 people dead in the country’s south.

During a special session behind closed doors, Turkish Ambassador to the UN Feridun Sinirlioglu briefed the member nations about the extent of the earthquakes, urgent needs, relief efforts for those affected and international aid.

Sinirlioglu also thanked the international community for its solidarity with Türkiye.

The envoy also said that humanitarian aid bound for earthquake-hit northwestern Syria from the UN and other nations could cross through Turkish border gates and noted that Türkiye is providing the necessary facilitation towards this end.

At least 31,643 people were killed by two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye on Feb. 6, the country's disaster agency said Monday.

The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes, centered in Kahramanmaras province, affected more than 13 million people across 10 provinces, which also included Hatay, Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Malatya, Adana, Diyarbakir, Kilis, Osmaniye and Sanliurfa.

Several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon, also felt the strong tremors that struck Türkiye in the space of less than 10 hours.