The team entered the area at 0400 local time this morning. “We have entered another phase of the rescue operation. We are now sending all relief troops to the area at the same time,’ says Jop Heinen, USAR spokesman.
USAR departed Eindhoven Airport on Monday evening bound for Turkey 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 with them.
Little chance
The chance of finding survivors is becoming “less and less,” says Heinen. But survivors are still being found. “That small chance still takes all the energy and effort to keep looking.” So far, USAR has pulled 11 people alive from under the rubble in the past few days.
Heinen speaks of a critical point. “We are officially still in the rescue phase, but we are slowly entering another phase. We’re not equipped for that, we’re really there for urgent emergency relief. We will continue to do so until we as a team can no longer mean much.’
ambulances
According to Heinen, ambulances circulate “intermittently” in the area, the chaos is “gigantic”. USAR can’t provide medical assistance, that’s what the other teams are for. “Our doctors are primarily for our people and our dogs.”
Aftershocks are still being felt in the area. These are light bumps that cause no additional damage. “But we have to be alert.”
The death toll over 21,000
The death toll in Turkey and Syria after strong earthquakes on Monday has risen to more than 21,000. At least 17,674 people have died in Turkey, according to the latest data from the authorities. Syria has so far counted 3377 victims.
Tens of thousands are also injured. According to the government, 6,479 aid workers from 56 countries work in Turkey. Additional rescuers would arrive from 19 other countries within 24 hours. According to Turkish state broadcaster TRT, 8,000 people have already been rescued from beneath the rubble.