Cyprus ready to help quake-hit Turkey

Cyprus said it was ready to help the rescue mission in Turkey and Syria after deadly earthquakes hit the region, while the island also felt the second shockwave later Monday.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry expressed its “deep sadness” for the hundreds of victims of the earthquakes in Syria and Turkey.

Furthermore, it declared its readiness to contribute to coordinated humanitarian efforts.

“Our sincere condolences to the families of the victims. Natural disasters do not distinguish people and nationalities.

“We stand in solidarity with all those suffering and the families of the victims, and we are ready to contribute to the humanitarian efforts of the international community.”

People across Cyprus felt the effects of the initial quake and then aftershocks later in the day.

Tremors were felt around noon in Cyprus following the new seismic activity in the central part of Turkey.

According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the central part of Turkey.

This was followed by another earthquake of 5.9 magnitude in the same area.

Earlier Monday, there was seismic activity in the Famagusta and Larnaca districts.

At 03:17 local time, the seismological stations of Cyprus’ Geological Survey Department recorded the powerful 7.8 earthquake that hit Gaziantep, Turkey (near the border with Syria).

The earthquake was felt almost 600 kilometres from its epicentre (in Turkey, Iraq, Georgia, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Cyprus).

In Cyprus, it was strongly felt throughout the island.

The death toll in Turkey from Monday’s earthquake has risen again to 1,498, according to the country’s disaster management agency.

The combined death toll from the initial quake in Turkey and Syria now stands at more than 2,300 after 810 people were confirmed dead in Syria,