Metro Manila, Philippines — Two Filipinos sustained injuries due to the magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Turkey, the Philippine Embassy in Ankara confirmed Tuesday.
The embassy said the two Filipinos are now doing fine.
In a separate statement, it said embassy personnel are continuously contacting “as many of the 248 Filipinos as possible” in the affected areas, including Gaziantep, Hatay, Adana, Mersin, and Sanliurfa.
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake rocked Turkey and Syria on Monday, killing over 5,000 people and injuring tens of thousands more.
On Wednesday, the Philippines is set to deploy to Turkey around 85 rescuers along with relief goods and necessities for quake survivors.
The embassy has yet to determine the exact casualty figures among the Filipino communities affected by the quake.
“The embassy has been receiving confirmed and unconfirmed reports of Filipinos, experiencing varying levels of distress,” it said. “The embassy will act swiftly on all confirmed reports.”
It reiterated its readiness to assist affected Filipinos as it called on others to extend a helping hand towards their fellow countrymen, as well as the people of Turkey devastated by the disaster.
In an interview on CNN Philippines’ News Night, AKO OFW Turkey Chairman Danilo Balisi said their group has been trying to reach two of their Filipino colleagues who went on a vacation in the Turkish province of Hatay, one of the areas hit by the quake.
“We expected Sunday babalik sila here sa Istanbul but wala pa kaming balita sa kanila [We expected them back here in Istanbul on Sunday but we are yet to hear from them],” Balisi said.
Balisi is also awaiting news regarding Filipinos reportedly trapped in other towns affected by the quake.
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