Efforts to rescue those trapped in Turkey and Syria following the deadly earthquake continue today (Thursday). Meanwhile, the number of dead in both countries is at least 19,320. The “Olive Branches” expedition of the Home Front Command continues to operate in Turkey, and tonight rescued a 65-year-old man who was found in the ruins of a building in the city of Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
Israel’s ambassador in Ankara has a hard time digesting: “This is a disaster that Turkey has never known”
An Israeli who stayed in the disaster zone in Turkey: “Everything was destroyed, I didn’t believe something like this could happen”
The Turkish authorities reported that since the disaster, over a thousand aftershocks have occurred in the country. The UN called on the world to help Syria: “This is not the time to talk about politics, aid to Syria should arrive as quickly as possible.”
Last night, the president of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan toured the earthquake areas in the south of the country, and admitted that there were problems with the authorities’ initial response, but assured that “the state is doing its job”, and this in view of the growing criticism among the survivors and the opposition in the shadow of the upcoming elections.
Kahramanmaras, Turkey (Photo: REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov)
Two days after the pair of huge earthquakes that struck south-central Turkey, Erdogan arrived yesterday in the city of Kermanmarsh, which suffered heavy damage, to monitor the rescue and rescue work and to meet with survivors, many of whom are sleeping in tents after losing their homes. He admitted that “on the first day we experienced some problems at the airports and on the roads, but today things are going more easily, and tomorrow will be even easier.” “We mobilized all our resources,” he said. “The state is doing its job.”
Rescue efforts in Turkey (Photo: REUTERS/Suhaib Salem)
Erdogan also demanded from the journalists “not to take advantage of the situation to give an opportunity for provocations”. “Today is a time for unity, a time for solidarity,” called the Turkish president, who added that “we mobilized all our resources.” The president promised to help the residents and declared: “We will rebuild everything within a year.”
Erdogan’s words came against the background of growing criticism of the government for the initial response to the heavy disaster, with the presidential elections in the background in which he will try to win another term. Opposition leader Kemal Calcedrulu released a video of his visit to the Tay area on Tuesday night, clarifying that he had no intention of meeting with Erdogan and accusing the government of “publicity work”. Calchedrolo also addressed the mayors of the cities in the disaster area, saying: “If bureaucratic barriers are put in front of you, don’t listen. If you need to be stopped so that you can find bread or blankets – stop.”
However, not only Erdogan’s opponents in the political arena criticize him, but also the survivors. “Where are the tents? Where are the food trucks?” shouted Malek (64), a resident of Antakya. “We survived the earthquake, but we will die here due to hunger or cold.” Erzo Dadoglu from the city of Iskenderun, whose two nieces were buried under the rubble, said that the family bought an excavator for the search, but those responsible prevented its use. When the rescue forces arrived, the family members shouted at them: “It’s too late.”
Even two days after the earthquake, many rescue teams from Turkey and other countries continued to work in the disaster areas in an attempt to locate more survivors. Aid planes and rescue teams also arrived from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and other Muslim countries, and the Assad regime also appealed to the European Union for assistance.
The volunteers of the “Yellow Helmets”, the rescue units in the rebel areas in the northwest of the country, admitted that they are having difficulty with the complex task. “We need the international community to act quickly and ensure that more aid reaches northern Syria,” a spokesman for the organization told the BBC. “We are in a hurry to do what we can before time runs out, but with every minute that passes – the chance of finding people alive is getting smaller and smaller.”
IDF delegation camp in Turkey (photo: IDF spokesperson)
In the meantime, the IDF’s “Olive Branches” mission also rescued ten civilians alive in the epicenters of the earthquake in Turkey in the last day. The rescue and medical teams continue their search and rescue efforts during these hours.