The number of earthquake deaths in Turkey and Syria continues to rise, but rescuers sometimes find survivors five days later.
Authorities currently count around 21,000 dead and slightly more than 80,000 injured in Turkey alone. While countless people were initially rescued from the rubble of collapsed buildings, the helpers now find almost only bodies. According to Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay, 67 people were pulled alive from the rubble across the country in the last 24 hours.
The death toll is feared to rise dramatically, as people are rarely without water for more than three days and the number of missing people is so high.
According to Oktay, more than 29,000 rescue teams with a total of 120,000 people are on duty. More than 6,000 teams come from abroad.
Dutch search and rescue team USAR is again searching for earthquake survivors in Turkey’s Hatay province today. However, according to the team, the chances of finding someone else are extremely slim. “We hope to meet someone and be able to do something for the severely affected population in Hatay today,” says Jop Heinen.
Sometimes people are still found alive. For example, 112 hours after the earthquake, a 46-year-old man was pulled from the ruins of a seven-story building. In Gaziantep, a pregnant woman was rescued after the horror of 115 hours. According to Turkish media reports, a 16-year-old boy was pulled alive from the rubble last night, 119 hours later.
Here are the photos of this recovery:
Rescuers found a 9-year-old girl in the same area after 108 hours. His parents and sister did not survive. Again, a 17-year-old boy from Gaziantep survived by drinking his own urine for 94 hours.
Homeless
At night, temperatures drop below freezing in much of the disaster area. Many have no shelter. UN refugee agency UNHCR estimates that the earthquake left 5.3 million people homeless in Syria alone. That’s why UNHCR focuses on distributing relief items such as tents, plastic sheets, thermal blankets, sleeping mats and winter clothing to people in need.
The Turkish government has distributed millions of meals, tents and blankets, but many people in need have yet to be reached.
The situation in Syria
Continuing aid efforts in Syria is even more difficult. According to Syrian state media, President Assad has promised to channel aid to rebel-held areas. Access to this region from Turkey is difficult. The question is, how much of it comes to the disaster area via Damascus? That’s why the UN is currently only providing aid from Turkey.
Cuba promised to send medical personnel to Turkey and Syria. Kuba says that about 32 doctors went to Turkey. Previously, the Syrian Ambassador to Cuba had said that 27 doctors would be sent to Syria. Cuba is sending more medical teams to disaster areas.
help action
Hundreds of doctors, nurses and other assistants also left the Netherlands for Turkey. The amount raised for the relief effort through Giro555 is still growing, in part due to the commitment of fifty municipalities to donate 1 euro per capita.
Source: NOS
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
