Pope Francis calls for support for Syria-Turkey quake victims

Pope Francis offered his prayers for the thousands of victims of the earthquake in Syria and Turkey on Wednesday and called on the international community to continue to support rescue and recovery efforts.

“I am praying for them with emotion and I wanted to say that I am close to these people, to the families of the victims and everyone who is suffering from this devastating disaster,” he said.

For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

“I thank those who are offering help and encourage everyone to show solidarity with these countries, some of which have already been battered by a long war,” he added at the end of his weekly audience in the Paul VI Hall in the Vatican.

Families in southern Turkey and Syria had spent a second night in the freezing cold as overwhelmed rescuers raced to pull people from the rubble two days after a massive earthquake that killed more than 9,600 people.

Read more:

Turkey’s President Erdogan arrives to earthquake-hit region

Syria earthquake: Newborn found under rubble with umbilical cord attached to dead mom

Turkey, Syria earthquake death toll nears 10,000 as rescuers look for survivors