Turkey earthquake: Sania Mirza, Shoaib Malik respond to catastrophe

Couple prays for Turkey and Syria as death toll rises to more than 2,200

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Web Desk
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Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik (left) and Indian tennis star Sania Mirza speak during an interview ahead of their joint chat show The Mirza Malik Show on an OTT platform on December 11, 2021. — Instagram/@realshoaibmalik
Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik (left) and Indian tennis star Sania Mirza speak during an interview ahead of their joint chat show 'The Mirza Malik Show' on an OTT platform on December 11, 2021. — Instagram/@realshoaibmalik

Indian tennis star Sania Mirza and her husband, Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, reacted to the powerful earthquakes which have caused devastations in Turkey and northwest Syria Monday morning.

A magnitude 7.8 jolt earlier today wreaked havoc across the two countries, while a second quake of 7.5 magnitude hit the southeast region of Turkey again.

The earthquake has claimed over 2,200 lives so far with bad weather conditions hampering rescue efforts, as people remained trapped under the rubble.

People watch as rescue teams look for survivors under the rubble of a collapsed building after an earthquake in the regime-controlled northern Syrian city of Aleppo on February 6, 2023. — AFP
People watch as rescue teams look for survivors under the rubble of a collapsed building after an earthquake in the regime-controlled northern Syrian city of Aleppo on February 6, 2023. — AFP

Considering the situation’s gravity, the Indian celebrity athlete took to Twitter asking God for mercy.

“Ya Allah reham,” Sania tweeted with emoji of hands lifted for prayers followed by “Turkey and Syria” as well as an emoji of a broken heart.

Sania, via her tweet, expressed her heartbreak at the catastrophic quakes which have rendered people of the two nations vulnerable in the bitter winter weather.

Meanwhile, Malik, too, took to the micro-blogging site to extend his sympathies to those impacted by the natural disaster.

“Let us not give up to these challenging times,” Malik tweeted.

In his tweet, the cricketer extended his “deepest sympathies” to the victims for their “loss”.

Rescuers work near the site of a collapsed building, following an earthquake, in Hama, Syria February 6, 2023. — Reuters
Rescuers work near the site of a collapsed building, following an earthquake, in Hama, Syria February 6, 2023. — Reuters

“Please accept my deepest sympathies for your loss in this natural disaster...,” he wrote on the bird app.

Under his tweet, Malik also shared an image that read: “Prayers for Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine and all affected places!”

The massive jolts in the two neighbouring nations have damaged infrastructure and triggered the loss of lives.

Poor internet connections and damaged roads between some of the worst-hit cities in Turkey's south, homes to millions of people, hindered efforts to assess and address the impact.

A resident stands in front of a collapsed building following an earthquake in the town of Jandaris, in the countryside of Syrias northwestern city of Afrin in the rebel-held part of Aleppo province, on February 6, 2023. — AFP
A resident stands in front of a collapsed building following an earthquake in the town of Jandaris, in the countryside of Syria's northwestern city of Afrin in the rebel-held part of Aleppo province, on February 6, 2023. — AFP

While the disaster has flattened apartment blocks and heaped more destruction on Syrian cities — already devastated by years of war.

It was not immediately clear how much damage had been done by the second quake, which like the first was felt across the region and endangered rescuers struggling to pull casualties from the rubble.