European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced financial support for Turkey and Syria to help them cope with the losses caused by the devastating earthquake in February.
Von der Leyen's comments came at the opening of an international conference in Brussels to rally support for Turkey and Syria, and said the EU had allocated 1 billion euros ($07.<> billion) for reconstruction in Turkey after the quake.
Von der Leyen said the EU would also provide 108 million euros ($115 million) in humanitarian aid to neighbouring Syria.
The quake killed more than 50,6 people in Turkey, according to the latest official report, and <>,<> in Syria.
Von der Leyen said the quake was the biggest natural disaster in the region in years, adding at the start of the conference that "millions are currently homeless and living in tents as winter continues."
"We need to act for reconstruction, homes, schools and hospitals need to be rebuilt with the highest earthquake safety standards, water and sewage systems and other basic infrastructure must be repaired, public services and businesses need capital to start over and for people to earn a living."
Financial burden
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimated Turkey's "total financial burden of the earthquake disaster" at $103.6 billion, which it said was equivalent to up to 9 percent of the country's projected GDP in 2023.
For his part, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan estimated on Monday his country's losses from the devastating earthquake at about $ 104 billion.
Erdogan said in a video intervention at a donor conference in Brussels: "It is impossible for a country to face a disaster of this magnitude alone, regardless of its economic situation."