According to the Egyptian community in Turkey, the four students who were rescued are university students studying in the city of Iskenderun, one of the Turkish cities that were strongly hit by the earthquake.

“The two girls were pulled out of the rubble of one of the buildings with no injuries and were transferred to the University city in Iskenderun to spend the night,” a Spokesperson of the Egyptian Community in Turkey Nader Fatouh told Ahram Online Monday evening in a telephone call.

“The two boys were pulled out of the rubble of another building, but they suffered from fractures and had to be transferred to a hospital to receive medical care,” Fatouh said, adding that there were many Egyptian students studying at universities in Hatay Province including universities in Iskenderun.

Fatouh also revealed to Ahram Online that authorities were conducting a search and rescue operation for an Egyptian couple, a man and his wife, who were also living in Iskenderun in the hope of finding them alive.

According to estimations, there are between 30,000-35,000 Egyptians currently living in Turkey.

Egypt’s embassies in Syria and Turkey have launched on Monday hotlines for Egyptians in both countries to report any damage or call for help following the deadly earthquake that hit both countries.

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid released online the hotline numbers of both embassies.

Egyptian Embassy in Ankara: 00905497695566

Egyptian Embassy in Damascus: 00963112144886 - 00963112144885

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry announced in a telephone call with his Turkish and Syrian counterparts that Egypt was sending urgent relief aid to both countries to help them face the repercussions of the deadly earthquake.

Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi expressed earlier Egypt's "full solidarity" with the people of Syria and Turkey as well as the country's readiness to provide aid to face the impacts of the deadly earthquake.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said in a statement that Egypt is ready to provide assistance to help both Syria and Turkey face the horrifying impacts of the deadly earthquake that struck both countries as well as a number of eastern Mediterranean countries.