The foreign secretary stated that three Britons have been reported missing in the aftermath of the earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria.

James Cleverly made a statement to the Commons: “As of today, we know that three British citizens are missing.”

Death Toll: 5,000 as more patients die in a ‘forgotten hospital’ – Latest Updates

He said that the Foreign Office’s Crisis Response Hub was working to support at most 35 British citizens who were directly affected by the seismicities.

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Cleverly stated, “We believe that there is little chance of large-scale British casualties.”

Since Monday’s 7.8 magnitude earthquake, rescuers have been searching for survivors in freezing temperatures.

At least 5,200 people died in both Turkey as well as Syria. The World Health Organisation (WHO), however, warns that fatalities could rise to 20,000 within the next few days.

Concerning the question of aid, Mr Cleverly stated to MPs that the Turkish government seeks international assistance on a scale that is comparable to the magnitude of their current situation.

He updated the Commons about the UK’s response and said that more than 6,000 buildings had collapsed in the region, which is home to more than 12,000,000 people. The infrastructure for electricity and gas has been badly damaged.

“Majority of the 3.5million Syrian refugees that Turkey has taken in are located in the affected regions. The scale of the catastrophe has severely tested Turkey’s exceptional disaster relief response capabilities.

“The Turkish government declared a state emergency and is asking for international assistance to match the magnitude of the crisis they are in.

“Turkey will lead disaster relief efforts in Syria, where it is present.”

Continue reading: The WHO warns that the death toll from Turkey’s more powerful earthquakes could reach more than 20,000

Cleverly also stated to MPs that he had “already authorized the deployment of a Medical Assessment Team” to respond to the earthquake. He added: “The further stages will evolve over time. We will of course work closely to our international partners to ensure we address that.”

Labour MP Feryal C Clark said to the Commons that, “Like many British Kurdish Turkish members of the community,” my family woke up yesterday trying find out if our distant relatives, our relatives, were safe in Turkey.

“We are very fortunate that most of our family members are safe.”