Okaz/Saudi Gazette

ISTANBUL — Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Turkey said that a search is under way to locate a Saudi woman who was missing in the devastating earthquake that ravaged many regions of Turkey and Syria on Monday.

Speaking to Okaz/Saudi Gazette, Muhammad Al-Harbi, chargé d’affaires at the embassy in Ankara, revealed that the family of the woman informed the embassy that she was residing in one of the collapsed residential buildings and that she was feared trapped inside as she had apparently not left the building.

“The embassy team is in search of the woman and that is in coordination with her relatives and the Turkish authorities. I am currently at the site of the collapsed building to speed up the search and rescue operations together with the Turkish rescue teams,” he said.

Al-Harbi confirmed that there has been no deaths or injuries reported so far among the Saudi citizens who were in the regions affected by the earthquake.

“The embassy has formed a task force since the earthquake rattled the Turkish region of Adana on Monday morning. The task force is working to communicate with any Saudis trapped in the earthquake zone,” he said.

Al-Harbi stated that there are about 45 Saudis under the protection of the embassy. “All Saudis are currently in a hotel in a safe city far from the danger zone. They are provided with shelter and relief supplies and they are awaiting the resumption of operation of return flight trips to Jeddah or Riyadh,” he said.

Regarding the relief air bridge and urgent Saudi aid, Al-Harbi confirmed that the embassy is coordinating with the Turkish side to facilitate the arrival and delivery of the Saudi relief supplies in the coming hours.