Turkey-Greece Earthquake... Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "No Korean Casualties Yet... Consular Assistance"

"Warning of Additional Damage Due to Aftershocks" Urged... Closely Communicating with Expatriate Community to Monitor Situation
About 200 Overseas Koreans in Izmir, Turkey and Other Areas

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that there are no casualties among Korean nationals in the area near Turkey and Greece affected by the magnitude 7.0 earthquake.

On the 31st, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, "After checking the damage status with Korean community organizations and companies, it has been confirmed that there are currently no casualties among our nationals." There is one Korean resident on Samos Island in Greece, which suffered significant damage from the earthquake, about 200 in ?zmir Province, Turkey, and five in the Ku?adası area.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued safety notices and prepared consular assistance to prevent additional damage caused by aftershocks. The ministry stated, "We have urged local Korean nationals to be cautious of aftershocks through safety notices on the websites of the Embassy of Korea in Greece and the Embassy of Korea in Turkey, as well as on social networking services (SNS)." It added, "We will maintain contact with the Korean community and continuously monitor the situation for any additional damage, providing necessary consular assistance."

The strong earthquake that struck Turkey and Greece reportedly caused over 20 deaths on the 31st (local time). As buildings collapsed, hundreds remain trapped under the rubble, and the number of casualties is expected to rise.

According to Turkey's Anadolu Agency and the daily The Guardian, Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) announced that as of the morning of the day, 24 people had died and at least 804 were injured due to the magnitude 6.6 earthquake. Most of the damage occurred in Turkey. The Guardian also reported two deaths on Samos Island in Greece.

The earthquake occurred around 3 p.m. the previous day in the Aegean Sea area between the western coast of Turkey and Samos Island, Greece. The epicenter was about 14 km from Nengno Karlovasion on Samos Island, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Nearly 200 aftershocks have occurred. The USGS reported the earthquake magnitude as 7.0, while Turkish disaster authorities reported it as 6.6.

Since the epicenter was closer to the Turkish mainland, most of the damage was concentrated in Turkey. In particular, ?zmir, the third-largest city in Turkey, suffered significant damage. With a population of 4.5 million and many high-rise apartment buildings, some urban areas have turned into ruins, AFP reported. Tun? Soyer, mayor of ?zmir, told CNN in an interview that at least 20 buildings collapsed due to the earthquake and that the death toll is expected to rise.

A tsunami caused by the earthquake's impact on Turkey's western coast raised sea levels, flooding some roads and causing additional damage.