UN Chief António Guterres indicated that the UN agencies are fully committed to supporting the victims of Monday's earthquake in Turkey and Syria, saying: "Our teams are on the ground assessing the needs and providing assistance."
The Turkish Government issued a Level 4 alarm, calling for international assistance.
In response, UN aid agencies have scrambled to help many thousands of reported victims, including those still believed to be buried under the rubble.
According to a statement, Guterres said that the UN was counting on the international community to help the many thousands caught up in the disaster, "many of whom were already in dire need of humanitarian aid in areas where access is a challenge.
Emergency medical teams from the World Health Organization (WHO) have been given the green light to provide essential care for the injured and most vulnerable, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted.
In turn, Specialist UN surge teams from the Office of UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) said in a tweet that they were “ready to deploy”, amid multiple horrifying social media posts showing huge buildings collapsing in heavily built-up areas.
Meanwhile, the UN in Türkiye expressed deep sadness at the loss of life and the destruction of property. The team expressed its condolences to the families of victims "as well as to the people and Government", wishing the injured a speedy recovery.
"United Nations Türkiye expresses its solidarity with Türkiye and is ready to assist."
UN humanitarian coordinating office OCHA underscored that the initial 7.8 magnitude quake hit at the height of winter. The epicenter was in southern Türkiye, where nearby Gaziantep – an important UN aid hub for northern Syria - was among the cities affected.
Follow the latest news on Google News
