Death toll in Turkey exceeds 40,000, rescue missions to end on Sunday

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
18 Feb 2023 21:21

The Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) announces that 216,347 people had been evacuated from the earthquake-affected areas.

An aerial photo shows the destruction caused by twin earthquakes in the center of Kahramanmaras in southern Turkey. (AP)

Al Mayadeen's correspondent to Turkey reported on Saturday that the death toll from the earthquake had risen to more than 40,600, while the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) announced that the search and rescue work will end Sunday.

Journalist Omar Kayed covered for Al Mayadeen the humanitarian, living and housing conditions in Afshin in Kahramanmaras 13 days after the disaster, indicating that search and rescue operations had stopped in the town of Afshin.

He added that the Turkish authorities are currently concerned that a new earthquake might hit Istanbul.

AFAD indicated on Saturday that 216,347 people had been evacuated from the earthquake-affected areas, pointing out that so far 4,323 aftershocks have occurred.

جولة في المكان المخصص لوضع الردم في تركيا مع مراسل #الميادين عمر كايد#تركيا #زلزال_سوريا #زلزال_سوريا_تركيا #زلزال_شرق_المتوسط #سوريا_وتركيا_إرادة_حياة pic.twitter.com/ULA2HtF0mD
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) February 18, 2023

"قرى وبلدات عديدة في #جبال_طوروس تضررت بشكل كبير نتيجة الزلزال."

موفد #الميادين إلى منطقة البستان في جبال طوروس في تركيا#تركيا #زلزال_سوريا #زلزال_سوريا_تركيا #زلزال_شرق_المتوسط #سوريا_وتركيا_إرادة_حياة pic.twitter.com/X5xhTkdJe9
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) February 18, 2023

People, including a child, were rescued 296 hours after the earthquake

Search and rescue teams pulled three people, including a child, from under the rubble of a destroyed building in Antakya district, the center of Hatay State in southern Turkey, 296 hours after the earthquake that took place on February 6.

Turkish authorities stated that search and rescue teams are racing against time to find survivors among the rubble of thousands of destroyed buildings.

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told CNN Turk that about 82,000 buildings "either collapsed or were severely damaged" as a result of the earthquake in Turkey.

In the same context, Iran has prepared six tons of medical aid to be sent to the earthquake victims in Turkey.

A ceremony was held in the northwestern city of Tabriz before the aid was shipped to the capital Tehran in preparation for its air transport to Turkey, Turkish Anadolu Agency said on Saturday.

The Financial Times reported on Friday that rebuilding the vast area destroyed by the earthquake in Turkey would require the restoration of one million buildings, in addition to tens of billions of dollars, according to preliminary estimates of the huge reconstruction challenge.