Turkey earthquake rescue challenges: Winter, blocked roads, aid for survivors

A woman looks at the destruction following an earthquake in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, February 8, 2023. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

MANILA, Philippines — Winter, blocked roads, and assistance for survivors are among the challenges that rescuers are facing following the Turkey-Syria earthquake.

On February 6, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck central Turkey and northwest Syria.

Turkish Ambassador to the Philippines Niyazi Akyol said on Thursday that the freezing weather hampers the efforts of rescue teams.

“It’s winter in Turkey and the region is experiencing -5 up to -10 degrees Celsius temperatures at night as well as heavy snowfall in many areas, intermittent snowfall, unfortunately,” Akyol said on ANC Headstart.

“This general state of affairs, this climate, this weather, unfortunately, makes it very difficult for the work of rescue teams, search teams,” he added.

Another hurdle, the envoy said, are collapsed bridges, tunnels, and avalanches blocking the roads.

“Secondly, because of the earthquake, the roads leading into the region are mostly destroyed,” Akyol said.

“Rescue teams and aid [are] very difficult to transport into the region. The Turkish military has mobilized over a hundred planes and at least as many helicopters now bypassing these roadblocks,” he noted.

Providing aid for survivors, the ambassador said, is another difficulty.

“There are millions of survivors, fortunately, who escaped unharmed or with minor injuries. So, the challenge is to provide for them with shelter, food, and then medicine as well,” he said.

Individuals who wish to donate may do so by reaching out to the social media outlets of the Turkish Embassy in Manila.

To date, the death toll from the Turkey-Syria tremor is now on the 12,000-mark.

JMS