Live updates: UN official sees ‘apocalyptic’ scenes in quake-hit Türkiye

Türkiye has arrested 184 individuals suspected of function within the collapse of buildings on this month’s earthquakes and investigations are widening.

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag mentioned that greater than 600 individuals had been investigated. Those formally arrested and remanded in custody embody 79 building contractors, 74 individuals who bear obligation for buildings, 13 property house owners and 18 individuals who had made alterations to buildings, he mentioned.

AFAD says the quakes, centred within the nation’s Kahramanmaras province, had been adopted by 9,136 aftershocks, leaving a minimum of 44,218 individuals lifeless in Türkiye. In Syria, the loss of life toll has hit 5,914. 

Here is how you’ll be able to assist the earthquake victims. 

Following are the most recent updates:

2000 GMT —
Scale of devastation in Türkiye ‘actually incomprehensible’

The head of the United Nation’s World Food Programme [WFP] has mentioned he was confronted with “apocalyptic” scenes as he visited earthquake-stricken areas in southern Türkiye.

“There is only one way to describe what I saw today: apocalyptic,” WFP Executive Director David Beasley mentioned after visiting the town of Antakya in Turkey’s Hatay province.

“Entire neighbourhoods have been flattened; homes destroyed, schools and shops closed; lives torn apart.

The scale of devastation here is truly incomprehensible,” he mentioned.

The official added in a press release that the scenario on the Syrian facet amounted to a “catastrophe on top of a catastrophe,” referring to the previous 12 years of civil conflict.

1533 GMT — Saudi Arabia sends 14 assist planes to quake-hit Türkiye, Syria

Saudi Arabia has dispatched 14 planes loaded with reduction assist to the victims of the February 6 earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, in line with a Saudi spokesperson.

“Each plane carries between 30-40 tons of aid to the quake victims,” Samer al Jutaili, a spokesman for the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, informed the native media. 

He mentioned the primary section of the Saudi humanitarian assist centered on offering meals, shelter and drugs to the quake victims.

“Saudi Arabia will continue its air bridge to relieve the quake victims in both Türkiye and Syria,” the spokesman mentioned.

Following the earthquake catastrophe, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center launched a donation drive on February 8 for the quake victims in Türkiye and Syria.

More than 362 million riyals (almost $96 million) have been collected as far as a part of the drive, in line with the Saudi authorities’s Sahem Platform, which is accountable for the donation marketing campaign.

1516 GMT — Schools reopen as Syrians reside with quake’s devastation

Schools have resumed courses in Syria’s opposition-held northwest after closing for almost three weeks following an earthquake that devastated the area, native officers mentioned, at the same time as many schoolchildren undergo from shock.

Many college students had been absent from their courses Saturday as their houses had been broken by the quake and their households now reside distant from the faculties, mentioned Abdulkafi al Hamdou, a citizen journalist within the opposition-held area.

“Some students were worried about being inside the building and were on edge whenever they heard a sound such as a desk being moved,” al Hamdou mentioned by phone whereas visiting a faculty. 

Many colleges had been changed into short-term shelters following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Türkiye and neighbouring components of Syria on February 6 and killed tens of hundreds of individuals.

1418 GMT — Turkish, Egyptian overseas ministers focus on post-quake scenario

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry have mentioned the lethal February 6 earthquakes in southern Türkiye.

In the cellphone name, Cavusoglu and Shoukry exchanged views on the most recent developments after the quakes, in line with Turkish diplomatic sources.

Condolences have poured in from world wide expressing solidarity with Türkiye, with many nations sending rescue groups and assist, together with Egypt.

1331 GMT — Egypt hosts profit marketplace for quake victims in Türkiye

The Egyptian capital, Cairo, has hosted a profit marketplace for the victims of the February 6 lethal earthquakes that killed hundreds in Türkiye.

The market was organised by Turkish citizen, Tursim Cankaya, in Madinaty neighbourhood in jap Cairo.

Participants provided Turkish sweets, handicrafts, scorching drinks and different merchandise on the market, in line with an Anadolu reporter. 

The purpose of this occasion is to gather donations for these affected by the earthquake,” Cankaya informed Anadolu Agency. 

1239 GMT — Turkish, Azerbaijani army medics are inclined to hundreds in quake-hit Kahramanmaras

Military medical doctors from Türkiye and Azerbaijan have been working hand in hand to deal with sufferers in Kahramanmaras, one of many 11 southern Turkish provinces devastated by the February 6 twin tremors.

In a discipline facility arrange on the Necip Fazil City Hospital, 20 Azerbaijani army medics – 12 physicians and eight nurses – have been treating tons of of sufferers together with their colleagues from the Turkish Armed Forces.

About 2,000 sufferers have been examined and 85 surgical procedures carried out on the discipline hospital, which has been arrange in 19 containers and 21 tents. 

1210 GMT — Pakistani medical doctors look after Türkiye quake victims in spirit of brotherhood 

Pakistani medical doctors tending to earthquake victims in Türkiye’s southern Hatay province have mentioned their efforts mirror the spirit of brotherhood between the 2 nations.

“Our team is here to support earthquake victims,” Waqas Ahmed, a Pakistani physician, informed Anadolu at a tent metropolis arrange in Hatay’s Defne district.

Ahmed is a part of a workforce that has come from Germany as a part of an assist mission by Humanity First, a world charity centered on catastrophe reduction.

He mentioned the workforce has been treating bodily accidents, reminiscent of cuts and wounds, in addition to offering psychological help for trauma.

Ahmed, the sphere director for Humanity First on the tent metropolis, mentioned the workforce has to this point tended to some 8,000 sufferers.

Recalling Türkiye’s assist after a 2008 quake in Pakistan, he added: “We should not forget that that humanity comes first, no matter our color, religion or nationality.

1124 GMT — Magnitude 5.3 earthquake jolts Türkiye’s central Nigde province

The earthquake had a depth of 7 kilometres (4.34 miles) and hit the Bor district at 1.27 pm local time (1027GMT), the Turkish disaster management agency AFAD said.

No casualties have been reported so far.

Vice President Fuat Oktay said response teams are on the ground to assess any damage.

“There is no negative situation at the moment. May Allah protect our country and our nation from all kinds of disasters,” he mentioned on Twitter.

1116 GMT — Serve ‘it’s our personal nation,’ Qatari commander asserts main Türkiye quake reduction mission

Qatar is attempting to assist individuals in Türkiye’s quake-hit areas “as if it is our own country,” in line with a Qatari army commander.

“When this disaster occurred, we took action on the very first day, as instructed by Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani,” Lt. Col. Hamad al Hajri informed Anadolu on the Incirlik Air Base within the southern Adana province, the place his workforce is stationed with 4 helicopters and a C-130 aircraft.

“Within a few days, our aircraft were ready to carry supplies to the regions in need. After that, humanitarian aid, such as medical supplies, have been arriving from Qatar every day, and this is still continuing,” he added.

“From the first day, we have been working in close cooperation with the Turkish Armed Forces, like a team. It is just like we are in Qatar,” al Hajri emphasised.

0830 GMT — Turkish first girl meets head of UN-Habitat 

Turkish first girl Emine Erdogan has met Maimunah Mohd Sharif, government director of the UN Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat), in Istanbul. 

In a gathering on the Huber Villa, Sharif conveyed her condolences to the Turkish nation over the lethal February 6 earthquakes. 

Sharif mentioned UN-Habitat has groups working within the affected areas and stands able to help reconstruction efforts.

0640 GMT — Efforts to airlift assist proceed from Türkiye’s Incirlik Air Base 

Efforts for airlifting assist to Türkiye’s quakes-hit southern area proceed by way of an air hall arrange on the Incirlik Air Base following twin quakes that had been centred in Kahramanmaras province. 

After the 7.7- and seven.6-magnitude quakes struck 11 different provinces, assist supplies donated as part of nationwide and worldwide campaigns converged on the base in southern Adana province. 

The Helicopter Coordination Center of the Turkish Armed Forces ensured the supply of the supplies to quake-hit zones by way of air or land. 

Turkish Armed Forces plane introduced from completely different provinces, together with the AS532 Cougar, Chinook CH-47F and Sikorsky S-70 helicopters, are participating in airlifting efforts. 

Aid packages containing tents, sleeping baggage, blankets, hygiene kits, meals and medical provides, in addition to supplies for youngsters and infants, are loaded onto army helicopters to be delivered to victims via the air assist hall.

0635 GMT — Containers from Qatar, different nations on method to Türkiye

Containers for quake victims in Türkiye from Qatar and different nations are on their method, the Turkish transport and infrastructure minister mentioned. 

Adil Karaismailoglu mentioned at a news convention in Adiyaman province that containers will arrive at Turkish ports and shall be distributed to provinces affected by the quakes.

“We are working on the transfer of our citizens living in tent cities to container cities,” he mentioned.

0453 GMT — Canada directs one other $20 million in quake assist 

Canada has answered the UN name for extra assist, asserting one other CAN$30 million (US$22 million) for these affected by the disastrous earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. 

The funds come from $20 million in direct reduction, and the federal government will match $10 million in donations to the Humanitarian Coalition, International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan mentioned in a press release. 

The Humanitarian Coalition is the creation of World Vision, Oxfam and Plan International. The organisation is supplying meals, water and well being help to earthquake survivors. 

Canadian lawmakers had requested the federal authorities to ante up extra matching funds and the UN had urged nations to donate extra in monetary assist.

0420 GMT — US proclaims $50 million in assist to quake victims in Türkiye, Syria 

President Joe Biden has mentioned the US will present as much as $50 million in assist to refugees affected by the February 6 twin earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. 

Biden authorised Secretary of State Antony Blinken to supply the funds to fulfill the pressing wants of individuals affected by earthquakes. 

To meet surprising refugee and immigration wants arising from the earthquakes, Biden introduced earlier this month that it was in US pursuits that as much as $50 million in help. 

The funds, he mentioned, can be offered to the from the US Refugee and Migration Emergency Assistance Fund (ERMA) below the Immigration and Refugee Relief Act (MRAA).

For our reside updates from Friday (February 24),
click on right here.

Source: TRTWorld and companies