500 Indonesians Affected by Turkiye Earthquake, Retno Marsudi Says

VIVA –A huge earthquake in Turkiye has caused deep wounds, with tens of thousands of people dead, hundreds injured, and many buildings collapsed. Furthermore, the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi stated that Indonesian citizens estimated to be affected by the earthquake in Turkiye is around 500 people.

"A total of 123 people have been evacuated in the first phase, including two Malaysians and one Myanmar citizen," Retno said when delivering a press statement online through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs YouTube account on Monday.

While eight people consisting of five Indonesians and three Philippine citizens are in the process of evacuating the second phase, Retno said.

As a result of the earthquake in Turkiye, two Indonesian citizens died; a mother and a child. Both have been buried in Kahramanmaras according to family requests. Then, 10 people who were seriously injured have been hospitalized.

Since the earthquake happened, Minister Retno said, the Indonesian ambassador in Ankara has immediately moved and communicated with Turkish authorities, "Indonesia is the first foreign representative to evacuate its citizens in Turkiye," Retno said.

The Indonesian Embassy in Ankara also distributed 189 aid packages for Indonesian citizens. In Syria, no Indonesian were affected by the earthquake, but the Indonesian Embassy team in Damascus continues to monitor developments in the field.

"The Indonesian Ambassador in Damascus also continues to coordinate with the Syrian authorities for the same purpose, namely to obtain information about the assistance needed and also about the safety of our Indonesian citizens," Retno said.

She ensures that ministerial-level communication continues, especially between Indonesia's foreign and defense ministers with Turkiye and Syria, to discuss post-earthquake handling, "And we continue to report every development to Mr. President (Joko Widodo)," Minister Retno Marsudi stated.