15 February 2023 02:58 pm Views - 849
President Ranil Wickremesinghe has informed the Turkish government's President Tayyip Erdoğan that Sri Lanka is ready to extend all possible assistance to the people of Turkey at this hour of their insurmountable grief, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said.
They said the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Ankara had been working to ascertain the welfare of the sixteen Sri Lankans who were living in the area affected by the earthquake and tremors, in coordination with the Turkish authorities.
It has been confirmed that 15 of them, contacted by the Embassy are safe, while a Sri Lankan female who was living in Hatay/Antakya Province in Turkey was reported missing, the Ministry said.
The Embassy was able to confirm the fate of the Sri Lankan concerned and regrets having to informed them of the unfortunate death of the missing Sri Lankan.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Affairs Ministry reported that the remains of a Sri Lankan victim of the earthquake that struck Turkey were buried in Hatay/Antakya in accordance with health-care regulations.
The body of the Sri Lankan victim was found by rescue teams, and the victim has been identified by her daughter.
The burial was held in Antakya at the request of the family.
The massive earthquake that struck an area over 110,000 square kilometers of southern Turkey on February 6, 2023, causing the deaths of many thousands of people from many countries and a huge devastation of property, also resulted in the unfortunate death of a Sri Lankan.
The south eastern region of Turkey, following the destructive earthquake, has been experiencing many aftershocks and tremors, numbering over 2000, and the death toll has risen to 29,605 and caused injuries to 80,278 persons.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved daughter and other family members of the deceased. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)