The Romani people in the Czech Republic have planned to express their condolences to the victims of the recent earthquake that hit the border between Syria and Turkey. The earthquake, which measured 7.8 on the Richter scale, has caused widespread destruction and loss of life. The Romani people have called on their community to come together to pray and light candles in remembrance of those who lost their lives in this tragedy.

Richard Samko, who informed news server Romea.cz of the plans, called on the Romani people to gather in their hometowns on Sunday, 12th February at 15:00 to express their condolences to the victims. He suggested that the best place to gather would be at a cemetery near the central cross. In Prague, the commemorative ceremony will take place at the Olšany Cemetery, where participants will meet in front of the main entrance at 14:50 and walk to the central cross to light candles.

The earthquake, which struck in the early morning hours of Monday, has caused extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure in the affected regions. The Turkish authorities have reported the largest number of victims so far, as the earthquake affected several big cities. The rescue effort in the ruins is proceeding slowly due to the very cold weather and the aftershocks, which are still being felt in the region.

According to the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) of the Turkish Interior Ministry, 650 aftershocks have been recorded by seismologists since Monday, making the rescue operation even more challenging. The earthquake has affected an area of 110,000 square kilometers, making it the third-largest earthquake after the Anatolian earthquake of 1668 and the Erzincan earthquake of 1939, according to Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay.

The Turkish authorities have reported almost 64,000 people injured, and AFAD has said that more than 113,000 rescue workers are intervening in the affected regions in Turkey, 6,000 of whom are experts from abroad, including from the Czech Republic. More than 28,000 people have been evacuated from the catastrophe so far.

AFAD reported that the Turkish authorities have found the corpses of 17,134 people so far, while in the north of Syria, the Damascus government and the opposition White Helmets organization working in the regions controlled by rebels have found 3,377 corpses. Syrian state media have reported 1,347 victims in areas controlled by the Government, while the White Helmets reported another 2,030 dead on Twitter and almost 3,000 injured in the rebel regions. Aid delivery to the affected regions is complicated by the complex domestic political and security situation in Syria, making access to the regions controlled by rebel groups quite difficult.

In conclusion, the Romani people in the Czech Republic are expressing their condolences to the victims of the recent earthquake in Syria and Turkey. The earthquake has caused widespread destruction and loss of life, and the rescue effort is proceeding slowly due to the very cold weather and the aftershocks. The international community has been mobilized to provide assistance to the affected regions, but aid delivery is complicated by the complex domestic political and security situation in Syria. It is essential to continue to support those affected by this tragedy, and the Romani people are setting an example by expressing their solidarity with the victims.

Article by Prague Forum