Turkey extends solidarity to India grappling with flood

Turkey on Feb. 7 extended its solidarity to India after a Himalayan glacier broke off in the country's north, leading to a massive flood.

"We are saddened to learn that many people are unaccounted for and feared to have lost their lives as a result of a flood which was caused by a broken glacier crashing into a dam in the Uttarakhand province in Northern India this morning," said the Turkish Foreign Ministry in a written statement.

Turkey sincerely shares the pain of the Indian people and government, the statement said, adding: "We hope that the losses remain at a minimum level in this disaster, the missing people be recovered safely as soon as possible and declare our readiness to help in this regard."

A portion of Nanda Devi glacier, India's second-highest mountain, broke off in Tapovan area of the Uttarakhand state earlier on Sunday, damaging the Rishiganga hydro power project.