10 Major Updates: WHO calls Turkey-Syria quake ‘worst natural disaster in a century’
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Roshan Amiri
- . February 14, 2023
- . Update: February 15, 2023 10:00 am
The death toll from last week’s powerful earthquakes has gone past 37,000. While Turkish authorities say 31,974 people have been killed in the country, the UN and the Syrian government estimate more than 5,800 people are now dead in the war-torn nation.
The World Health Organisation has described the tremors in Turkey as the worst natural disaster in a century in what it characterises as its Europe region.
According to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, more than 8,000 quake victims have been pulled out alive from rubble in the country. Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in an unprecedented move, opened two more border crossings for quicker foreign aid delivery.
Read | UK campaign generates $72.8 million for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria
10 Major Updates
1) In the Turkish city of Hatay, a woman was rescued Tuesday from the debris of a collapsed building some 203 hours after the pre-dawn quake hit last week, according to Turkish media.
2) The February 6 earthquakes have either collapsed buildings or left them unsafe to live in, forcing almost 1,000 people in Turkey to stay in carriages at Osmaniye railway station.
3) In addition to humans, a number of specially-trained dogs have also been working non-stop to find survivors trapped under rubble. When it’s difficult to find survivors by sound or sight, these rescuers’ key asset of scent proves immensely useful.
4) Morgue drivers in Turkey are working around the clock to give families the chance to bury their beloved ones.
5) A team of 14 Syrian doctors based in the United States has entered the opposition-held region in Syria to help in relief and medical care as the area struggles with repercussions of the earthquakes, in addition to years of a deadly civil war.
6) Over 7 million children have been affected by the disaster in the two countries, UNICEF says. Numerous families are now living in temporary shelters, often in freezing conditions, read a report from the aid organisation. Access to basic necessities, such as food, clothing, safe water, sanitation, and medical supplies, is a serious concern.
7) In order to mitigate the economic fallout from the earthquakes, Turkey has decided to suspend some gold imports, Bloomberg News cited an official with direct knowledge of the matter as saying.
8) The Turkish government is facing serious accusations of failing to take precautions to reduce the damage. Opposition politicians say advice from experts, who had warned of the impending danger, was not given the required importance.
9) Risk modelling company Verisk estimates damages from deadly earthquakes in Turkey will possibly exceed $20 billion, with just over $1 billion of it covered by insurance.
10) The UN’s decision to seek the Syrian president’s permission has triggered criticism from the White Helmets rescue group.
