Two days after two major earthquakes hit Turkey and Syria, the death toll has risen to 8,100. Aid is catching on, Dutch teams have already rescued six people alive from under the rubble.
Dutch rescue team pulls 6 people alive from under the rubble
06:40 | Six people in the disaster area in Turkey have now been pulled alive from under the rubble by the Dutch search and rescue team USAR, the rescue team reported on Wednesday morning. Each of USAR’s four rescue teams – Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta – rescued at least one person, said a spokesman for the team, which has set up a base camp near the town of Hatay.
“During the night, the rescue teams exchanged positions. We searched all night and are now working in the area,” said the spokesman, who said his team on the street received a lot of praise from the local population. According to him, they feel “a lot of support and comfort”. The USAR has shown on social media and on its website images of the rescue operations, which show, among other things, a woman being pulled out of a collapsed building supported by two rescuers.
USAR departed Eindhoven Airport on Monday evening bound for Turkish Adana and set up base camp in the disaster area on Tuesday. The team consists of employees from the police, fire brigade, ambulance services and defense who have been specially trained for this. There are also eight rescue dogs. The four rescue groups work 24/7 in alternating shifts. When two relief groups are out, the other two can rest and eat, explains the spokesperson. Dogs are trained to pick up cues from living people. There are several rescue teams from different countries in the Hatay region.
The death toll from the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria rises to 8,100
02:45 | The death toll in Turkey and Syria from strong earthquakes on Monday rose to 8,164. 5,894 deaths were counted in Turkey on Tuesday, authorities said. In neighboring Syria, according to the Ministry of Health and aid workers, at least 2,270 people were killed, more than 1,220 of them in rebel-controlled areas bordering Turkey.
More than 34,810 people were injured in Turkey, at least 3,700 in Syria.
The number of victims is expected to increase further in the coming hours. Rescue operations continue throughout the night. Partly due to the wintry weather with sub-zero temperatures and snow, rescuing survivors is a race against time. However, people are still being pulled alive from under the rubble, including children.
Wednesday 8 February
Meanwhile rescue teams from 36 countries in Turkey
8:30 pm | After the devastating earthquake in southeast Turkey, rescuers from 36 countries are now at work, according to the Turkish foreign minister.
50,000 beds have been set up for the homeless. In addition, the defense ministry has opened all military bases in the affected area to accommodate the victims.
Sweden also sends aid to Turkey
19:00 | Turkey, which is blocking Sweden’s accession to NATO, receives earthquake aid from Sweden. The Finns, who also want to become NATO members, will also help in the disaster area.
More than 20 NATO member states and partners such as Finland and Sweden are sending more than 1,400 rescue workers to Turkey “in solidarity with the Turkish people,” the alliance said.
The Turkish regime in Ankara says it does not want Sweden to join. He believes that Stockholm allows Kurdish terrorists to enter Sweden and that those Kurds would threaten Turkish security.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
