Turkey halts rescue efforts in all but two provinces
-
Salma Hossein
- . February 20, 2023
- . Update: February 20, 2023 3:39 pm
The Republic of Turkey has stopped its search and rescue operations in most provinces except for two, according to the country’s disaster management authority.
According to the state news agency Anadolu, rescue efforts are still underway in 40 buildings in Kahramanmaraş and Hatay provinces, nearly two weeks after a destructive earthquake killed tens of thousands of people in Turkey.
Recently, a couple and their 12-year-old child were rescued in the Hatay province of the country. However, the child died later on.
The earthquake survivors have continued to be found alive under the rubble of collapsed buildings. The Hatay province is one of the worst affected areas in Turkey. According to the province’s mayor Lutfu Savas, at least 80% of the buildings will need to be rebuilt in Hatay.
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The death toll in Turkey stands at 40,689 people. The collective death toll across Turkey and Syria has risen to at least 46,530.
According to the United Nations, at least 870,000 people urgently need food across Turkey and Syria. According to the Turkish Emergency Coordination Center SAKOM, the death toll could further increase in the country.
Many international organisations and countries have continued to send aid to Turkey and Syria after the destructive earthquake wreaked havoc in the region. The United Nations also pledged to help these two countries.
Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the United Nations, expressed concern over rescue efforts in Turkey and Syria. Turkish people also expressed anger over the poor quality of buildings in the country.
Last week, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), visited Syria to check up on earthquake survivors. Last week, the Turkish police also arrested 12 people, including building contractors, over collapsed buildings in the southeastern provinces of Gaziantep and Sanliurfa.
