A Turkish soldier reacts in front of a collapsed building in Antakya, district of Hatay, Turkey, February 7, 2023. Erdem Sahin, EPA-EFE/File
MANILA — The Bangsamoro government on Friday said it is sending aid to families affected by the massive Turkey-Syria earthquake.
"In the spirit of solidarity, the Bangsamoro government will provide humanitarian assistance to the families who have been greatly affected by the extreme tragedy," its chief minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim said in a statement.
"On behalf of the Bangsamoro Government, we send our sincere sympathy and condolences to the victims of the earthquake," he added.
Monday's quake was the most powerful and deadliest since 33,000 people died in a 7.8-magnitude tremor in 1939.
Officials and medics said 20,213 people had died in Turkey and 3,553 in Syria. The confirmed total now stands at 23,766.
Ebrahim noted that Turkey has been an "active partner" of the Bangsamoro people "towards building a peaceful and harmonious community."
"We pray that the people of Türkiye and Syria will swiftly recover from the destructive earthquake," he said.
"May the victims find solace that they have friends from all across the globe who are willing to assist in this trying time, including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao."
Two Filipinos were confirmed to be among the nearly 24,000 people who died in the quake.
The Philippines has deployed an over 80-person team composed of disaster response specialists and healthcare workers to Turkey.
— with reports from Lerio Bompat and Agence France-Presse