German President Steinmeier visits Turkish embassy to offer condolences

BERLIN (AA) - German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited the Turkish Embassy in Berlin on Friday to offer condolences for the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye.

Steinmeier was greeted by Turkish Ambassador Ahmet Basar Sen, who informed him about the latest developments and relief efforts in the region.

The German president expressed his deep sorrow for the devastation caused by the earthquakes, and reiterated Germany’s solidarity with Türkiye.

“The scale of the death and destruction has shaken us deeply,” he wrote in the embassy's condolence book.

“Our thoughts are with the surviving relatives. Your pain is our pain. We mourn together with the Turkish people and everyone affected by the disaster.”

At least 19,388 people were killed and 77,711 others injured by two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye on Monday, according to the latest official figures.

The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes, centered in the southern Kahramanmaras province, affected more than 13 million people across 10 provinces, including Adiyaman, Gaziantep, and Hatay.

In neighboring Syria, the death toll exceeded 3,300, with more than 5,200 people injured, according to media reports.