Top U.S. diplomat, German vice chancellor express support for Türkiye after quakes

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck expressed solidarity and support Tuesday for Türkiye and Syria, which were hit by powerful earthquakes this week.

"We're both incredibly moved by the images that we're seeing coming from Türkiye and Syria with the horrific earthquake that these countries experienced over the last couple of days," Blinken said ahead of his meeting with Habeck at the State Department.

"We see the images of collapsed buildings. We see people-thankfully, some still being pulled alive from the wreckage, children, but incredible suffering," said Blinken.

The top diplomat said the U.S. and Germany are working very hard to support Türkiye and the Syrians "in their hour of need," recalling that more than 150 search and rescue personnel have been deployed to Türkiye.

He said the U.S. is providing assistance to the Syrian people through the humanitarian partners that Washington funds in Syria to recover from the earthquakes.

"But I know both of our countries are focused on this human tragedy that's taking place right now in Türkiye and Syria," he added.

Habeck, who is also minister for economic affairs and climate action, said thousands of people have lost their lives in the earthquakes.

"This is the real tragedy and the real situation where we have to help now, and we will do that," he added.

The death toll from Monday's devastating earthquakes in southern Türkiye rose to 5,894, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said early Wednesday.

Speaking at a news conference, Oktay put the number of injured from the massive quakes centered in Kahramanmaraş province at 34,810.

The quakes also affected neighboring Syria, where 1,622 people were killed and hundreds injured.