A Canadian is among the thousands killed in a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Turkey, Global Affairs Canada said in a statement to Global News.
For privacy reasons and out of respect for the family, Global Affairs Canada said the agency is not able to release any further details, but noted consular officials in Ankara “are in contact with local authorities to gather additional information and are providing consular assistance to the family as required.”
Global Affairs Canada did not identify the victim, but their confirmation of a Canadian death comes after The Canadian Press reported, citing family members, that the body of a Canadian woman who was visiting Turkey has been found in the rubble of a building that collapsed on Feb. 6.
Saad Zora told The Canadian Press that his twin sister Samar was found earlier Tuesday by searchers as an excavator dug through pieces of a five-storey building in the city of Antakya.
Global News has not independently verified her identity.
He said, “Samar was found,” and added, “she didn’t make it.”
Zora says in that report that he and his brother, Muthana, who flew to Turkey last week to search for their sister, had remained near the scene of the excavation of the building.
He said he is grateful to the local people and the search and rescue teams who assisted in finding the 33-year-old woman.
Samar Zora had travelled to the city for her doctoral research in anthropology.
Global Affairs Canada said it has received approximately 80 enquiries from Canadians related to these earthquakes.
The agency said there are currently 7, 513 registrants in Turkey,1,394 in Syria and 1,319 in Israel, according to the Registration of Canadians Abroad (ROCA) database.
Canadians in need of emergency consular assistance should contact Global Affairs Canada’s Emergency Watch and Response Centre by calling +1 613-996-8885, by text message at +1 613-686-3658, via WhatsApp at +1 613-909-8881, via Telegram at Canada Emergency Abroad or by e-mail at sos@international.gc.ca.
— With files from Global News’ Karla Renic and The Canadian Press
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