Syria's death toll tops 2800; severe shortage of relief materials
International assistance to Syria continues while death toll rises and Syrian authorities confirm a severe shortage in medical, food, and fuel need to rescue the victims.
-
Rescue teams search through the wreckage of collapsed buildings in Aleppo, Syria, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023 (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
The death toll from the devastating earthquake in Syria has risen to more than 2,800, while rescue teams continue extensive search efforts to find survivors under the rubble.
Five flights have arrived in the recent hours at Aleppo International Airport from Algeria, Iran, and Iraq, an Al Mayadeen correspondent in Aleppo reported on Wednesday.
" 5 طائرات من #الجزائر و #إيران و #العراق وصلت إلى #مطار_حلب_الدولي في الساعات الأخيرة ".
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) February 8, 2023
| مراسل #الميادين في #حلب رضا الباشا |@rh_albasha #زلزال_سوريا #زلزال_تركيا #زلزال_سوريا_تركيا #زلزال_شرق_المتوسط pic.twitter.com/iIv99pRAhQ
The Iraqi Ministry of Trade confirmed that trucks loaded with thousands of tonnes of food supplies were sent to Syria.
Al Mayadeen correspondent mentioned that the death toll from the earthquake in Jindires reached 650, noting that the rate of destruction in the city exceeded 70%.
مراسل #الميادين في #حلب: "نسبة الدمار في #جنديرس في #عفرين تجاوزت الـ70% والمسلحون يمنعون دخول المساعدات"#زلزال_تركيا#زلزال_تركيا_سوريا#زلزال_شرق_المتوسط#تركيا_سوريا @rh_albasha pic.twitter.com/wLCbiXjcC2
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) February 8, 2023
Al Mayadeen correspondent in Latakia confirmed that the death toll from the earthquake in the city of Jableh has so far reached 254 deaths and 171 injuries.
In parallel, the Syrian Minister of Health, Hassan Mohammad Al-Ghobash, confirmed that the supplies required for the work of hospitals have been provided, stressing the need for medical equipment.
Al-Ghobash pointed out that a disaster of such magnitude puts additional pressure on the health sector, which already suffers from a shortage of medical materials and equipment as a result of the sanctions. The ambulance and emergency systems are on full alert, but the blockade prevents many companies from supplying equipment.
Read: How are sanctions, blockade affecting humanitarian effort in Syria?
الوضع في #جبلة صعب للغاية والدمار كبير وهناك أبنية تدمرت بشكل كامل.
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) February 8, 2023
موفد #الميادين إلى جبلة في #اللاذقية محمد الخضر #سوريا #تركيا@mohmdkhdr pic.twitter.com/87naEdlNh7
Moreover, Syrian State media revealed that more than 298,000 people were forced to leave their homes due to the devastating earthquake that struck the country.
The state has opened 180 shelters for the displaced, the official Syrian News Agency, SANA, quoted Minister of Local Administration and Environment, Hussein Makhlouf, as saying.
Meanwhile, the Director General of Antiquities and Museums in Damascus, Muhammad Nazir Awad, confirmed to Al Mayadeen that the earthquake had a strong impact on the historical and archaeological buildings in Aleppo.
#الزلزال كان له تأثير قوي في المباني التاريخية والأثرية في #حلب.
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) February 8, 2023
المدير العام للآثار والمتاحف في #دمشق محمد نظير عوض لـ #الميادين.#زلزال_تركيا#زلزال_تركيا_سوريا#زلزال_شرق_المتوسط#تركيا_سوريا pic.twitter.com/yFkx4vLHuu
Severe shortage in food and medical supplies
For his part, the Syrian Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Muhammad Saif Al-Din, confirmed the great shortage of food, medical and relief materials, in addition to the fuel and equipment needed to save the victims of the devastating earthquake. The minister explained that the shortage is the result of the economic blockade imposed on Syria, which targets the Syrian people and prevents them from their most basic necessities.
Seif El-Din called on Arab and foreign countries to "provide greater support to Syria to help save the lives of those who are still under the rubble."
After the meeting chaired by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, an operations room was immediately formed, "with the aim of coordinating the civil effort to bridge the need gap in the most affected governorates," he pointed out.
China offers emergency humanitarian aid
China will offer 30 million yuan ($4.4 million) of humanitarian aid to Syria, its foreign ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, told a regular news briefing on Wednesday.
In order to express the condolences and support of the Chinese government and people to the Syrian government and people, the Chinese side has decided to provide 30 million yuan of emergency humanitarian assistance to the Syrian side," Mao said.
Mao explained that two million dollars of the value will be transferred in cash, while the rest will be provided in the form of materials necessary for emergency response.
Russian rescuers offering medical assistance
In addition, the military police of the Russian Forces Group rescued a man from under the rubble in Aleppo, after he had been without food or water for several days.
"In the course of rescue operations, with the involvement of military personnel of the Russian Armed Forces, 42 people were rescued from under the rubble, 57 bodies of those dead were removed, and medical assistance was provided to 194 residents," Maj. Gen. Oleg Egorov, deputy head of the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of Warring Parties in Syria, said at a briefing on Tuesday.
Three debris sites were cleaned up today, and the Russian rescue teams managed to recover one body and provide medical assistance to 31 people.
Russian aid will continue to be distributed in eight humanitarian aid points, as more than 11 tonnes of food and essential items were distributed, including 9.5 tonnes of food today.
The death toll continues to rise in parallel with the search operations led by the teams deployed in the affected Syrian governorates. Several social media posts by citizens confirm the presence of a large number of victims trapped under the rubble to this day.
Meanwhile, four stations for collecting donated blood have been established in Aleppo, Hama, Jabla, and Stamu, and samples were obtained from 126 donors, of whom 55 are Russian military personnel.
#بالفيديو | مشاهد من عمليات رفع الأنقاض والبحث عن الناجين في #سوريا على إثر الزلزال المدمر الذي ضرب البلاد#زلزال_تركيا#زلزال_تركيا_سوريا#زلزال_شرق_المتوسط#تركيا_سوريا pic.twitter.com/TMDdo958AI
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) February 7, 2023
In the early hours of Monday morning, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and northern Syria, resulting in thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of injuries.
The Syrian government announced on Tuesday the allocation of 50 billion Syrian pounds as an initial amount to fund emergency operations undertaken to deal with the effects of the devastating earthquake.
