By Ebenezer Bajela
As widespread relief efforts and support get underway for Turkey following the deadly earthquake that hit the country and Syria early Monday morning, retired Nigerian football Austin Okocha and Mikel Obi, have also joined as send goodwill messages to all the victims of the incident.
Turkey experienced a magnitude 7.8 earthquake on Monday, the worst to hit the country in over 100 years.
As of the time of writing, the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, while speaking in Hatay province, close to the epicentre of the quakes, said the number of people confirmed dead in Turkey had increased to 9,057, Reuters reports.
Syrian officials and a rescue group in rebel-held north-west Syria also said the death toll there has reached 2,662, bringing the combined tally to 11,719.
While the disaster has claimed at least 11,719 dead, scores are injured and many others are under the rubbles of collapsed buildings.
Among the casualties was Ahmet Eyup Turkaslan, a Turkish goalkeeper, while former Newcastle winger Christian Atsu is still missing after the earthquake.
Former Chelsea midfielder, Mikel, who also played in Turkey in the twilight of his career, on his Instagram page sent his condolences to the victims of the earthquake.
“My heart breaks seeing videos of the earthquake in Turkey yesterday,” he wrote.
“I am sending my sincere condolences to the people who have lost their loved ones to this very unfortunate incident. May God grant you all the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.
Okocha also wrote, “My thoughts and prayers are with the entire people of Turkey. My deepest condolence to the families that have lost their loved ones.”
Source: The Punch
