Live updates: Türkiye, Syria search goes on as hope for survivors fades

The determined seek for earthquake survivors in Türkiye and Syria has continued as rescuers utilizing sniffer canines and thermal cameras surveyed pulverised residence blocks for any signal of life 9 days after the catastrophe that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan mentioned was “as big as atomic bombs”.

In Türkiye, the dying toll stands at 35,418, whereas the variety of deaths in Syria reached 5,814, in line with the most recent figures from the UN and the Syrian regime’s Syrian Arab News Agency, bringing the full dying toll to over 41,232.

Here is how one can assist the earthquake victims.

Following are the most recent updates:

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

0300 GMT — Search for Türkiye quake survivors enters its tenth day

Rescue employees have been digging via the particles in southeastern Adiyaman province, attempting to free a younger girl, and comparable operations are beneath manner in different hard-hit provinces to search out attainable survivors of dual quakes that hit components of Türkiye and neighbouring Syria, abandoning greater than 41,000 lifeless and a path of destruction.

It’s now the tenth day of the 7.7 and seven.6 earthquakes and a few 8,000 individuals have already been pulled alive from the particles of the flattened buildings whereas rescuers say they’re nonetheless listening to voices within the rubble, and are persevering with to search out survivors.

One such operation was beneath manner in southeastern Adiyaman province early on Wednesday, in line with TRT World’s
Jaffar Hasnain, who mentioned the primary responders have acquired a sign of a 20-year-old girl from beneath the rubble.

“They are still receiving the signals that the female is alive. They are basing their judgment on her body temperatures using thermal devices… there is hope,” Hasnain mentioned.

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2100 GMT — Elderly amongst survivors rescued 9 days after Türkiye earthquakes

Miracles have continued as extra survivors had been pulled alive from the rubble 9 days after robust earthquakes hit southern Türkiye.

First responders pulled Fatma Gungor, a 77-year-old girl, alive from rubble in southeastern Adiyaman province late on Tuesday, some 212 hours after “Disaster of the Century” struck components of Türkiye and Syria. 

“I’m so excited, I don’t know what to say. We almost got to the point of giving up,” a Kocaeli Golcuk Shipyard official on the website advised native media and public broadcaster TRT Haber which has been broadcasting visuals of the rescue missions since final week. 

“We didn’t even eat. Thank God it has ended well. I thank both Kocaeli Golcuk Shipyard [personnel] and AFAD [rescue team]. So glad we have you.”

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1847 GMT — Americans doing their greatest to assist Türkiye: US envoy

The American individuals are offering “whatever assistance they can” to the survivors of final week’s highly effective quakes in southeastern Türkiye, US Ambassador in Ankara Jeffry Flake mentioned.

“They are raising funds, they are donating blood, food, and medical supplies, and certainly sharing messages of solidarity with the Turkish people,” he added in a press release. “American people have been deeply affected by what is happening here in Türkiye.”

He additionally mentioned that since he took his put up in Ankara final January, he and his spouse “have been fortunate to travel in many of these areas that have been impacted by the earthquake.”

The envoy additionally mentioned that they’ve skilled “the hospitality of Turkish people.”

1844 GMT — Armenian international minister to go to Türkiye in wake of lethal earthquakes

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan will go to Türkiye to specific solidarity within the wake of lethal quakes within the southern area final week.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Mirzoyan will meet within the nation’s capital of Ankara, the place he’ll convey condolences, the Foreign Ministry mentioned in a press release.

Mirzoyan will even go to Adiyaman to satisfy Armenian search and rescue groups, it added.

1835 GMT — Volunteers save over 300 animal lives in quake-hit Hatay province

In Hatay, one of many 10 provinces hit onerous by the dual quakes, volunteers have saved greater than 300 animals trapped beneath collapsed buildings, in addition to hundreds of human survivors within the catastrophe area.

Ibrahim Gocer, the senior member of the Paw Protectors Animal Protection Association within the metropolis, mentioned that regardless of having misplaced lots of his family in Hatay, he put apart his private ache and rushed to assistance from earthquake victims, together with the animals caught within the wreckage.

“I’m here with my team. We’re doing our best to save any life. I’ve lost many people, from my relatives to my closest friends, but we have to stand up,” Gocer mentioned. “We need to stay vigorous. These (animals’) lives are important, too,” he underscored.

1834 GMT — King Charles meets Turkish diaspora in London

In West London, King Charles spoke with volunteers who’ve been accumulating, packaging, and organising the transportation of meals, blankets, and heat clothes for the quake survivors, in line with a press release by the royal household.

“Later, in Trafalgar Square, the King formally launched Syria’s House, a temporary Syrian community tent where members of the Syrian community can come together to support those affected by the earthquakes,” it added.

The tent shall be open till this Friday to boost donations.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak additionally met with volunteers at a donation centre in London for the survivors of the highly effective earthquakes that hit each Türkiye and Syria.

1824 GMT — Leader of Iraq’s Kurdish Regional Government visits southern Türkiye

The head of Iraq’s Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), Nechirvan Barzani, visited Gaziantep.

Barzani went to the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) coordination centre, the place a KRG staff helps with search and rescue efforts within the Islahiye district.

“We feel your pain. Your bad days are our bad days. The Turkish government and people have always supported us in times of need. So we are here to share your pain and convey our feelings of adherence,” Barzani advised reporters.

“Türkiye will leave these painful days behind with its strong government,” he asserted.

1736 GMT — NATO ministers commemorate Türkiye quake victims in minute of silence

Tuesday’s NATO defence ministers’ assembly began with a minute of silence honouring the victims of final week’s earthquakes in Türkiye.

Before opening the two-day North Atlantic Council assembly, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg referred to as on the defence chiefs to “pause for a moment of silence in solidarity with our ally Türkiye.”

He additionally expressed “heartfelt condolences to all the victims of the earthquake,” and reassured Türkiye of NATO’s help.

1711 GMT — Türkiye dying toll rises to 35,418

At least 35,418 individuals have misplaced their lives in all 10 provinces following the earthquakes that hit Türkiye, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan mentioned.

He additionally mentioned numerous over 105,505 individuals had been injured within the earthquakes.

Experts internationally describe twin quakes in Türkiye as an “exceptional natural phenomenon,” Erdogan mentioned, including that final week’s highly effective earthquakes had been “as big as atomic bombs”.

Türkiye will proceed to go looking and rescue efforts till the final survivor is pulled from the rubble. About 250,000 public personnel are concerned within the operations within the quake zone, he added. Erdogan additionally famous that Türkiye will instantly begin building of 30,000 properties from subsequent month.

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1710 GMT — All capabilities at Türkiye’s disposal: Qatar

“Qatar has put all its capabilities at the disposal of the brothers in Türkiye to support them after the earthquake disaster,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari mentioned.

“The world faces a major humanitarian catastrophe in Türkiye and Syria. This is a real test for all humanity,” he added.

Al Ansari, an adviser to the international minister, mentioned rescue and aid efforts are “a major priority at present.” “The Qatari role will continue during the various stages of this crisis as long as it’s needed,” he added.

1654 GMT — ‘Love Gifts’: Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh donate 700 blankets, 200 jackets to Türkiye

Poverty-stricken Rohingya refugees in squalid makeshift camps in southern Bangladesh couldn’t stay inactive throughout Türkiye’s largest humanitarian disaster for the reason that devastating twin earthquakes, as they collected cash and bought 700 blankets and 200 jackets for Turkish individuals affected in 10 southeastern provinces.

“Türkiye has been one of our primary aid providers since the beginning of our crisis. How can we sit idle in the face of such a colossal calamity involving our dearest friend?” Sahat Zia Hero, a Rohingya group chief, advised Anadolu, who described their donation as a “love gift” in an emotional tone.

They have purchased 700 blankets and 200 jackets with petty money contributions from many Rohingya refugees within the final couple of days, he mentioned.

“We are refugees here and dependent mostly on donations and assistance from others for survival. But this gift carries the unlimited love and solidarity to our Turkish brothers and sisters,” he mentioned, explaining that it was the very best they may do for the Turkish individuals given their very restricted monetary assets.

1651 GMT — US gives greater than $135M to Türkiye, Syria

The contributions embody a beforehand introduced $85 million preliminary contribution from the US, which has gone towards the availability of requirements akin to blankets, meals and shelter.

But Erika Olson, the State Department’s senior official for Eurasian affairs, advised reporters throughout a digital news convention that the non-public sector has donated greater than $50 million in help, which has gone towards air transport, garments and meals.

“That is just, I believe, a snapshot of what’s really happening across the country in support for those in Türkiye and Syria,” she mentioned.

1540 GMT — Palestine donates 20,000 sleeping luggage for quake victims in Türkiye

“The donation is part of a Palestinian relief drive announced by the Ministry of Religious Endowments,” Minister Hatem al Bakri advised a news convention within the occupied West Bank metropolis of Hebron.

He mentioned round $1.37 million have been collected up to now for the quake victims.

“Around $500,000 of these donations were allocated for the purchase of 20,000 sleeping bags, and we may increase the number of bags based on the Turkish view,” the minister added.

According to al Bakri, the Palestinian donation marketing campaign is scheduled to final till Friday.

The Palestinian minister will go to Türkiye on Sunday to satisfy officers of the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and Turkish officers to observe up on the help supply to Türkiye and Syria.

1528 GMT — Scale of catastrophe in quake-hit Türkiye ‘unbelievable’: Australian rescue staff

On the state of affairs in 10 earthquake-hit provinces of Türkiye, Grant Rice, the operations officer for the Bravo staff, mentioned that the state of affairs is “not superb in any respect. Not superb. The scale of it’s simply unbelievable. Unbelievable.”

Conveying his best wishes to Türkiye for recovery, Rice added: “I feel it will take some appreciable period of time for them to recover from this.”

He also said he was impressed by the resilience of the Turkish people.

“In Türkiye, the people who we have encountered are very resilient, very robust, and simply how they’ve overcome this already is, it is a credit score to Türkiye – very, very effectively accomplished.”

1515 GMT — China delivers 254 tonnes of help to Türkiye: Turkish envoy

They arrange a disaster desk on the embassy in Beijing after the quakes struck Türkiye final week and mediated the dispatch of Chinese rescue groups, Abdulkadir Emin Onen mentioned at an airport warehouse within the Chinese capital the place humanitarian help is collected.

The ambassador thanked the Chinese authorities for its help for the victims and famous there have been 5,177 tents among the many aid supplies delivered.

Onen added that 5,922 tents shall be supplied inside two days, whereas 20,000 extra are being ready to be despatched to the catastrophe zone this week.

1240 GMT — UN delegation visits quake-hit Idlib in Syria

A UN delegation made its first-hand tour within the Syrian opposition-held areas that had been badly affected by final week’s devastating earthquakes.

The UN delegation entered the Syrian territory from the Bab al Hawa border crossing with Türkiye and headed in the direction of Idlib province in northwestern Syria.

The delegation is scheduled to satisfy with the heads of humanitarian organizations and civil society teams concerned in aid efforts for the quake victims within the space, sources advised Anadolu.

1144 GMT — Medical provides price $846,000 despatched to Türkiye, Syria: India

India has despatched emergency medical provides price roughly $846,000 that embody life-saving medicines, protecting gear, and demanding care tools since final week’s lethal earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, the Health Ministry mentioned.

The Indian authorities is presently sending aid supplies, medicines, tools, and rescuers to earthquake-hit Türkiye and Syria beneath “Operation Dost,” or Friendship Operation.

So far, the federal government has dispatched seven flights to the 2 nations, the ministry mentioned in a press release.

1127 GMT — WHO launches $43M enchantment to help earthquake response in Syria, Türkiye

“I expect this to at least double over the coming days, as we get a better assessment of the massive scale of this crisis and the needs,” mentioned WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge in a press briefing associated to pressing well being wants and response in Türkiye following final week’s earthquakes.

Kluge mentioned that the cash shall be used to “Ensure access to the most vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations, provide trauma care and post-trauma rehabilitation and provide essential medicines and emergency kits to fill urgent healthcare gaps.”

It will even be used to “deliver vital mental and psychosocial support to the affected populations and ensure continuity of routine health services, especially for women, children, the elderly, and those with non-communicable diseases,” he added.

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1112 GMT — Qatar donates World Cup cellular properties to earthquake survivors

Qatar has introduced that it plans to ship 10,000 cabins and caravans from final 12 months’s World Cup to supply shelter for survivors of the earthquakes that hit Türkiye and Syria.

The gas-rich Gulf nation mentioned on Tuesday that it had all the time deliberate to donate the cellular properties. They had been wanted to assist home among the 1.4 million followers who descended on the small nation throughout soccer’s largest match.

An preliminary batch of 350 constructions was shipped out on Sunday, in line with the Qatar Fund for Development.

1104 GMT — Türkiye dying toll rises to 31,974

At least 31,974 individuals have misplaced their lives in all 10 provinces following the earthquakes that hit Türkiye, in line with the nation’s emergency company AFAD on Tuesday.

AFAD mentioned that 8,000 individuals had been additionally rescued from the rubble as of Tuesday.

1057 GMT — Turkish faculties in Kyrgyzstan present humanitarian help

Turkish faculties in Kyrgyzstan have supplied humanitarian help to earthquake victims in southeastern Türkiye.

“In a week, more than seven tonnes of clothing, food, generators and blankets, which constitute in-kind aid, were collected,” the tutorial counsellor on the Turkish Embassy in Kyrgyzstan, Kursat Dulkadir, advised Anadolu.

Dulkadir additional mentioned that roughly $185,000 had been additionally deposited into the account opened by the embassy following the earthquakes.

1039 GMT — More than 7 million kids affected by Turkey-Syria quake: UN 

More than seven million kids have been affected by the large earthquake and a significant aftershock that devastated Türkiye and Syria final week, the United Nations mentioned Tuesday, voicing worry that “many thousands” extra had died.

“In Turkey, the total number of children living in the 10 provinces hit by the two earthquakes was 4.6 million children. In Syria, 2.5 million children are affected,” James Elder, spokesman for the UN kids’s company Unicef, advised reporters in Geneva.

0926 GMT
— 
Over 8,000 individuals pulled alive from quake rubble: Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has mentioned rescue groups have pulled out greater than 8,000 individuals alive from the quake particles for the reason that robust tremors struck southeastern Türkiye final week.

He additionally mentioned numerous over 81,000 individuals injured within the earthquakes have been discharged from hospitals.

“I would like to thank once again to all the friendly and sisterly countries that have been collecting aid for our nation day and night, supporting our search and rescue efforts with their teams, and not forgetting us in their prayers,” Erdogan added in a video message despatched to the World Government Summit in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

0854 GMT — Greek Orthodox church buildings in UK acquire donations for quake survivors

All Greek Orthodox Churches within the UK have collected donations for victims of the earthquakes.

The transfer got here by the order of the top of the Greek Orthodox Church within the UK, an unimaginable gesture given the decades-long political dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

“Our hearts are broken seeing what happened in Türkiye, which was hit by earthquakes,” the priest, Revd. Dr Chrysostom Tympas mentioned throughout a Sunday service on the Greek Orthodox Church Saint Anargye in London.

0802 GMT — Brothers rescued 198 hours after earthquakes in Turkiye

Rescue groups have saved two brothers — 17-year-old Muhammed Enes Yeninar and 21-year-old Baki Yeninarn — after they survived 198 hours beneath rubble in quake-hit Kahramanmaras. 

0719 GMT — Rescuers discover one other survivor in Türkiye’s Adiyaman

Rescuers in Türkiye have saved an 18-year-old man beneath a collapsed constructing within the southeastern metropolis of Adiyaman.

Reports recognized {the teenager} as Muhammed Cetin, who was rescued 198 hours after final week’s catastrophe. 

0653 GMT — White Helmets say search efforts for quake survivors in northwest Syria about to finish

Search operations for extra survivors beneath the rubble are about to finish within the opposition northwest of Syria eight days after the devastating earthquake, the White Helmets most important rescue group has mentioned. 

“It’s about to come to a close. The indications we have are that there are not any (survivors), but we are trying to do our final checks and on all sites,” mentioned Raed al Saleh who heads the White Helmets group that has carried out the most important rescue operations within the devastated area.

The group, which has rescue employees throughout the area the place complete neighbourhoods and villages had been worn out, mentioned they had been additionally accumulating names of the lacking individuals within the enclave the place the group’s newest dying toll stood at 3,167 with hundreds injured within the opposition-controlled areas.

0612 GMT — More than 300 troops serving to Syria to get well: Russia

More than 300 Russian servicemen and 60 items of particular navy tools are serving to Syria in its response to a devastating earthquake that struck greater than every week in the past, in line with Russia’s defence ministry.

“Servicemen of the Russian group of forces continue to carry out activities to clear rubble and eliminate the consequences of earthquakes,” the defence ministry mentioned in a press release on the Telegram messaging app on Tuesday, referring to Russian forces stationed in Syria.

0559 GMT — Mexico pays homage to ‘heroic’ canine that died in Türkiye rescue efforts

Mexico has paid tribute to a navy rescue canine that died whereas trying to find survivors buried beneath the rubble of the earthquake in Türkiye.

Defence Minister Luis Cresencio Sandoval introduced the dying of the German shepherd referred to as Proteo at President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s every day news convention on Monday.

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0448 GMT — Syria agrees to open two new crossings for quake help: US 

The Syrian regime of Bashar al Assad has agreed to open two new crossing factors from Türkiye to the nation’s opposition-held northwest to ship desperately wanted help and tools to assist thousands and thousands of earthquake victims, the United Nations introduced.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the settlement to open crossing factors at Bab Al-Salam and Al Raee for an preliminary interval of three months.

Currently, the UN has solely been permitted to ship help to the northwest Idlib space via a single crossing at Bab Al Hawa, at Syrian ally Russia’s insistence.

The announcement adopted a gathering in Damascus earlier Monday between Assad and UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths, who spent the weekend visiting areas hit by the catastrophe.

Opposition-run rescue group criticised the UN resolution, saying it gave the Assad regime “free political gain.”

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Source: TRTWorld and businesses