"Hungary will do everything in its power to support its ally Türkiye after devastating earthquakes that caused large-scale destruction and cost the lives of thousands," Hungary’s Ambassador to Ankara Viktor Matis said.
Speaking to Daily Sabah on Tuesday, Matis conveyed his condolences to Türkiye and the Turkish nation and said, “Hungary as a close friend and strategic partner immediately reacted right after the earthquake.”
He pointed out that less than 22 hours after the disaster, the first Hungarian search and rescue team arrived in Türkiye. “After the first, seven more groups have arrived. So, in total, eight different groups, two of which have combined to strengthen and maximize efforts,” Matis noted.
He further added, “167 personnel and 29 search and rescue dogs arrived for the search and rescue efforts” and specified that most operated in Hatay while 31 personnel and six dogs – made up of specialized people, including doctors – were also deployed in the epicenter of the quake, in Kahramanmaraş.
A field hospital was also set up by Hungary.
Describing the earthquake as “unprecedented,” the ambassador praised the works of the Hungarian teams that risked their lives amid the rubble to look for survivors. “It is a risky job and it needs a lot of commitment,” he underlined.
The ambassador personally visited the quake-hit Hatay province on Friday to support the teams logistically with staff from the Hungarian Embassy in Ankara. "We could see the amazing support and sympathy from the ones affected by the earthquake," he observed.
He said that the biggest group was the Hungarian Disaster Prevention Directorate, joined by doctors and specialists from the bureau of counterterrorism, which added up to a total of 73 experts in Hatay, especially at the Rönesans Residence, a huge housing complex that crumbled during the earthquakes. Matis highlighted that it was the Hungarian team that checked half of the building for survivors.
Other groups that came to Türkiye’s aid included the Hungarian Baptist Aid group, the Hungarian Reform Church as well as the Budapest Volunteer Association.
The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes, centered in the Kahramanmaraş province, affected over 13 million people across 10 provinces, including Adana, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Şanlıurfa.
Aerial footage from over the earthquake-affected zone in Türkiye revealed entire neighborhoods of highrises reduced to twisted metal, pulverized concrete and exposed wires.
“The Hungarian teams have done their job as much as they could, and after finishing their sectors they returned to Hungary yesterday,” Matis said, indicating that the first phase of aid was deemed closed.
“Now we are working on the second phase, and we are in contact with different government organizations to plan the best way to support Türkiye in these hard times. We will do what is in our power," Matis underlined.
