Turkey and Syria were struck by a 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes respectively that have resulted in tens of thousands injured and 34,000 people killed.
In response, nations have mobilized to help the countries in need. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has issued a statement, assuring the county will help Turkey & Syria.
"The people of Turkey and Syria face unimaginable calamity and loss of life," said Levine Cava, informing that the county is committed to helping.
"Our world-renowned FL-TF1 Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team stands at the ready to reply and assist," she explained, adding that Floridians "have already come together in a show of support, raising funds through trusted nonprofits and collecting supplies through local temples, churches, and mosques." In addition, she highlighted the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners Chairman Oliver G. Gilbert III's leadership, detailing that the Board "passed legislation that allows county employees to donate the monetary value of their accrued annual and holiday leave to support relief efforts."
Calling Miami-Dade County "a community of immigrants" and a "home to residents from every corner of the world," she explained that Miami-Dade County stands in solidarity with Turkey and Syria during this tumultuous time. "Our shared resilience is woven together by so many nations and cultures and today, we blanket our neighbors in Turkey and Syria with strength," she noted.
Rescue teams have been dispatched, working around the clock to save individuals trapped in the rubble, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has received criticism over his administration's response to the earthquake in Turkey.
Dissenters of the President argue that the country was not equipped for a catastrophe of that magnitude, adding that there has been a slow relief effort. As well, they argue that his administration has failed to cooperate with local authorities and relief agencies that are assessing the area to save people.
