A minute’s silence and €0.5m in aid for earthquake victims

A minute’s silence was observed by the council of ministers at the start of Wednesday’s session for the victims of the deadly earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

President Nicos Anastasiades also announced that Cyprus would donate €0.5 million in aid to the victims in both countries, which would be made through the proper channels.

The combined death toll in Turkey and Syria has climbed over 41,000, and many survivors are enduring near-freezing winter temperatures, having been left homeless by the devastation in cities in both countries.

Forty-nine Turkish Cypriots died in the earthquake.