By Faten Omar

KUWAIT: The Turkish Embassy held a press conference on Wednesday on the recent devastating earthquake in Turkey. Turkish Ambassador to Kuwait Tuba Nur Sonmez praised the support of HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the ministry of foreign affairs, saying Turkey is grateful for the copious amounts of Kuwaiti aid that has flowed into the regions affected by the quake.

The Turkish ambassador thanked Kuwait for the humanitarian and timely response to the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria. "We have appreciated the support of Kuwait and the search teams, who were one the first teams to help the victims of the earthquake," noting that more than 20 Kuwaiti NGOs donated to Turkey.

The ambassador praised the "Kuwait by Your Side" campaign that was livestreamed on Kuwait TV and collected more than KD 20 million for the victims of the earthquake, pointing out that a similar campaign was organized in Turkey. Sonmez revealed Kuwait sent several planes carrying tons of relief, adding one was heading to Turkey on Wednesday. Turkish Airlines cargo is helping in transferring aid from all over the world amid ongoing efforts to ensure the aid effectively reaches those most in need, she said.

Turkish Ambassador to Kuwait Tuba Nur Sonmez addresses Kuwaiti media. - Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Sonmez said the earthquakes have affected a vast area with a total population of 13.5 million people in 10 provinces. The Turkish parliament has declared a three-month state of emergency in those provinces. According to the latest information received from the ministry of health, a total of 42,310 citizens lost their lives and 105,505 are injured.

"The Turkish state mobilized all its emergency response capabilities. These ongoing rescue efforts in quake-stricken areas have been complemented by international support. Many governments, including Kuwait, dispatched medical/rescue personnel, funds and equipment. We are coordinating incoming international aid," she said.

The total number of personnel working in the field in affected areas is over 250,000, including volunteers. As of today, 102 countries have offered assistance, and 3,200 foreign search and rescue personnel from many countries are on the ground. Except for Kahramanmaras and Hatay, search and rescue efforts have been completed, and foreign search and rescue personnel have started to leave.

Turkish Ambassador to Kuwait Tuba Nur Sonmez

As for the ministry of foreign affairs, the ambassador said they activated the coordination and support center, which has four coordinating ambassadors and 20 staff. "We have assigned four ambassadors and two staff to the disaster and emergency management authority coordination center. We have 13 coordinating ambassadors and 17 ministry staff in the disaster region (Hatay, Gaziantep, Adana, Adiyaman, Kahramanmaras, Kilis and Sanliurfa). Our Istanbul, Antalya, Gaziantep and Edirne representation offices are also involved. Our staff at Istanbul Airport work on a 24/7 basis," she said.

"We have activated emergency response mechanisms of NATO, EU and UN. Our missions abroad coordinate in-kind and in-cash assistance and donations. The flags at our missions were at half-mast and condolence books were open until February 12. We received messages of condolences and support from all over the world. Our president spoke with many world leaders," Sonmez added.