Hungary provides immediate assistance to earthquake-hit Türkiye – UPDATE

Assistance for Türkiye, hit by an earthquake early in the morning, topped the agenda of a three-day strategic cabinet meeting that started on the outskirts of Sopron, in western Hungary, on Monday.

death toll from one of the strongest earthquakes in 100 years has risen to over 600. Rescuers are struggling to rescue survivors trapped under rubble on both sides of the Turkish-Syrian border. The number of injured is estimated in the thousands.

The 7.8 magnitude quake shook residents out of their beds around 4am on Monday, causing tremors as far away as Lebanon and Israel. The epicenter of the earthquake was 23 kilometers east of the town of Nurdagi in Turkey’s Gaziantep province, at a depth of 24.1 kilometers, CNN reports.

Hungary’s government is making contact with Turkish authorities regarding assistance it can offer.

The strategic cabinet meeting will also discuss protecting Hungary from high inflation, high energy prices and other negative consequences of Brussels’ sanctions policy.

Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said Hungary has offered to send an experienced, 50-member search and rescue team to Türkiye. The team is prepared to leave immediately if local authorities request for assistance, he added.

“Türkiye, the Turkish nation is a friend of Hungary and the Hungarian nation. It is natural, that in this disaster we will stand by our Turkish friends and help with whatever we can,” Szijjártó said.