Georgians missing in Turkey quake found alive

Nearly all Georgian citizens missing following Turkey’s devastating quake on Monday had been found alive, Georgian Ambassador to Turkey Giorgi Janjgava said on Tuesday.

The diplomat told the media one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the region in a century had claimed the lives of two Georgian nationals, along with more than 4,300 citizens of other countries who died in Turkey and Syria during the tremors. 

The Ambassador and the Georgian Football Federation also confirmed Georgian players and referees involved in the Turkish league and located in the country were all safe. 

Janjgava also urged Georgian citizens in the disaster zone to contact the country’s diplomatic missions in Ankara, Istanbul or Trabzon to receive aid.

Earlier Vestnik Kavkaza reported that thousands of people were reported dead and hundreds more injured in Turkey and Syria from the earthquake. According to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with the quake, Türkiye was shaken by the "biggest disaster" since 1939.