UN chief: Recent Earthquakes One of the Greatest Natural Disasters of Our Time

We mourn the loss of many and the tragic number continues to rise. Thousands of buildings have collapsed. Tens of thousands are exposed to severe winter conditions. Schools and hospitals have been destroyed. Children are enduring terrible trauma”, Guterres told reporters at UN headquarters in New York.

The “we are sadly aware that we have not yet seen the full extent of the damage and the humanitarian crisis emerging before our eyes”, he added.

Over 17 thousand people have lost their lives in Turkey, and more than 70 thousand have been injured by two powerful earthquakes based in the Kahramanmaraş province, which hit the country's south early Monday. More than 13 million people have been affected in ten Turkish provinces.

In neighboring Syria, over 3,300 people have so far been confirmed dead in the northwest of the country and over 5,200 injured.

Guterres said the first UN aid convoy passed to northern Syria today from Turkey through the Bab al-Hawa crossing. It included six trucks loaded with housing equipment and “additional supplies desperately needed”, he said.

“More help is on the way, but much, much more” is needed, he stressed.

The UN chief stressed that Turkey has shown unprecedented “buary” pending up to 3.6 million Syrians who fled the country's conflict, some of more than a decade.

People are facing nightmares. The quake struck as the humanitarian crisis in northwest Syria is already deteriorating, with needs at the highest level since the beginning of the” conflict, he said.

Martin Griffiths, the co-ordinator for humanitarian affairs and Guterres' emergency assistance, has already arrived in Turkey and will visit Gaziantep, Halep and Damascus to assess the situation and determine how the UN will continue.

Guterres confirmed that the UN is ready to assist the Turkish government “in any way we can --”.

“In the face of this epic disaster, I strongly urge the international community to show the people of Turkey and Syria the same support and generosity they expected, protected and helped millions of refugees and displaced people in a large show of solidarity”, he said.

“Now is the time to stand up for the people of Turkey and Syria”, the UN chief stressed.