Brussels: The EU commissioner for equality, preparedness, and crisis management on Thursday expressed solidarity with the Turkish people on the second anniversary of the devastating Feb. 6, 2023 earthquakes that hit the southern part of the country. Speaking to Anadolu at the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) in Brussels, Hadja Lahbib said the bloc will be with the earthquake victims as long as it takes.

According to Anadolu Agency, recalling her visit to Trkiye last month, including to the quake-hit region, the commissioner said she witnessed memories of the victims and saw how humanitarian aid brought a positive change on the ground. Lahbib emphasized that the best response to earthquakes is to help earthquake-stricken children have a future.

Eleven Turkish provinces - Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Elazig, Hatay, Gaziantep, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa - were hit by the 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes in February 2023. The disaster killed more than 53,000 people, injured over 107,000 others, and impacted the lives of more than 14 million people.