US authorities label Türkiye earthquake as one of strongest in century

US Department of State Spokesperson Ned Price has said that the United States is working very hard to support the people in Türkiye and Syria in their hour of need.

"This earthquake was one of the strongest in a century, and our sincerest condolences continue to go out to all of those impacted – victims, survivors, rescuers, first responders, families, neighbours, and friends," Price said in a press briefing on February 9.

He said Secretary Blinken spoke with Foreign Minister Cavusoglu to express Washington's continued support and to discuss how the United States can continue our ongoing efforts to provide assistance in both Türkiye and Syria.

"The United States is providing lifesaving assistance as our emergency response teams are on the ground and hard at work. In Türkiye, the U.S. Government is providing a Disaster Assistance Response Team that will coordinate with Turkish authorities on the full range of U.S. support. The DART team comprises some 200 people, including two highly trained urban search and rescue teams, specialized equipment and canines, and these teams have specialized training to coordinate with international partners in exactly this kind of situation," Price said.

According to him, the humanitarian partners of Washington are using US resources to provide critical emergency relief, including food, water, shelter, medical care, and support staff to search and rescue efforts. We are proud to join the global efforts to help Türkiye, just as Türkiye has so often contributed its own humanitarian rescue experts to so many other countries in the past.