Rising death toll in Turkey and Syria​ due to powerful earthquake

Summary

Rescue teams are searching for survivors in the rubble of buildings destroyed by earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, while the Turkish government is providing aid and calling for more help and experts warn that the window for rescuing survivors is closing rapidly. The scale of suffering caused by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria is staggering, with thousands of buildings toppled and aid efforts hampered by the ongoing war, yet rescuers have still managed to pull a number of people alive from the rubble and stories of rescues continue to provide hope.

The devastating earthquake in Kahramanmaras, Turkey has left many survivors without shelter or resources, prompting the government to provide aid and prompting people to donate to relief agencies to help the victims.

Detailed Notes

• Continuing Search and Recovery Efforts in Turkey and Syria After Earthquake Devastation
  
  •Aftershocks of a catastrophic earthquake have killed over 12,000 in Turkey and Syria, and rescue teams are continuing to search for survivors.
  
  •Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited a “tent city” of people displaced by the quake, and promised that no one will be left in the streets.
  
  •Despite the presence of tens of thousands of aid personnel in the quake zone, many are still waiting for help and hope of rescuing survivors is fading.
  
  •Experts say the survival window for those trapped under the rubble is closing rapidly.
  
  •Turkey’s disaster management agency has said that unidentified victims will be buried within five days of the earthquakes.
  
  •Ozel Pikal, a former journalist, described a shortage of rescuers and said that cold temperatures, road closures, and damaged infrastructure have impeded mobility and access.
• Earthquake tragedy in Turkey and Syria
  
  •Turkish and Syrian authorities take actions to mitigate the damages caused by the earthquakes.
  
  •Thousands of buildings toppled in Syria, leaving many trapped underneath the rubble.
  
  •Aid efforts in Syria are hampered by the ongoing war and Western sanctions.
  
  •The UN and European Union explore avenues to provide humanitarian assistance.
  
  •Syrian Prime Minister visits neighborhoods in the northern city of Aleppo to prioritize rescue efforts.
  
  •Rescuers in Turkey have managed to pull a number of people alive from the rubble.
  
  •According to experts, the likelihood of survival is slim and the final death toll may not be known for weeks.
• Responding to the Earthquake Crisis in Turkey
  
  •Nearly two days after the quakes, rescuers pulled a 3-year-old boy, Arif Kaan, from beneath the rubble of a collapsed building in Kahramanmaras.
  
  •With the boy’s lower body trapped, emergency crews spread a blanket over his torso to protect him from the cold as they carefully cut the debris away.
  
  •Many survivors have had to sleep in cars, outside, or in government shelters, with some children in bad shape due to the cold.
  
  •As many as 23 million people could be affected in the quake-hit region, according to the World Health Organization.
  
  •Erdogan has acknowledged that there were problems early on in the response, but said it had improved and would distribute the equivalent of $532 to affected families.
  
  •Click here for details and links to aid agencies helping earthquake survivors in both Turkey and Syria.