Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "No Korean Casualties Reported So Far from Turkey and Greece Earthquakes"

[Asia Economy Reporter Suyeon Woo] On the 31st, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced regarding the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that occurred near the waters of Turkey and Greece, "After checking the damage status with Korean resident organizations and companies, it has been confirmed that there are currently no casualties among our nationals."

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there is one Korean resident on Samos Island in Greece, where the earthquake damage is severe, about 200 in ?zmir Province, Turkey, and five in the Ku?adası area.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "We are urging local Koreans to take extra precautions to prevent further damage through safety notices posted on the websites of the Embassy of Greece and the Embassy of Turkey, as well as on social networking services (SNS)." The Ministry will continue to monitor any additional damage and provide necessary consular assistance.

According to local foreign media, on the 30th (local time), a magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurred in the sea area about 14 km from the Greek city of Nengno Karlovasion on Samos Island. At least 26 people have died and about 800 have been injured so far.

A building in Izmir, western Turkey, collapsed due to a strong earthquake, and residents are clearing the debris. (Photo by Yonhap News/AFP)