Three Australians are believed to have died in the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria as the toll from the disaster continues to rise.
The remains of an Australian man and an Australian woman have been identified by family members in Turkey, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on Feb 11.
The man has been identified as Melbourne grandfather Suat Bayram, but the name of the woman has not been made public.
“We lost our beloved father and grandfather,” Bayram’s relative Ebru Hudaverdi posted to social media.
“Our pain is too immense.”
Earlier in the week, the body of Sydney man Can Pahali was reported to have been found in rubble but his death is yet to be confirmed by local authorities.
The department is assisting the families of all three people.
About 80 Australians who were in the area impacted by the earthquake are now receiving assistance from Australia in Turkey and Lebanon.
Diplomatic missions in Ankara, Istanbul and Beirut continue to attempt to contact Australians thought to be in the region.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Friday extended her sympathy to all families waiting for news from the region about their loved-ones.
More than 70 emergency service personnel flew to the earthquake zone to help with rescue and recovery efforts.
The death toll has surpassed more than 22,000 and is expected to continue to grow as more bodies are found.
The magnitude-7.8 quake struck the southern Turkish province of Kahramanmaras on Feb. 6 and also badly impacted parts of neighbouring Syria.
Rescuers are racing against the clock to find any more survivors, with conditions plummeting as low as -10C.
