Race to tackle growing humanitarian crisis amid scenes of devastation
, and a series of strong shocks that followed caused devastation in towns and cities in south-eastern Turkey and over the border in northern Syria, killing more than 2,400 people and leaving many more injured. The death toll is expected to rise significantly.
Residents roamed the streets calling for help as they surveyed the ruins of their cities. One man in Elbistan, a town close to the epicentre, videoed flattened buildings in disbelief, crying out: “This was our main high street. We are without hope.” A castle that has stood sentinel over Gaziantep for hundreds of years suffered significant damage, underscoring the historic level of power exerted by the quake.
Turkey’s Red Crescent humanitarian agency said it had sent mobile kitchens, more than 1,000 tents and almost 20,000 blankets to the area. Islamic Relief, another aid organisation, said it had launched a $20mn fundraising campaign, warning that its supply of mattresses, blankets and other bedding would probably run out within hours. Turkey, which has called for international help, has received offers of aid from a host of countries including the US, UK, Netherlands and Azerbaijan.
Heavy rain and snowfalls were making access to the damaged areas more difficult, with “hundreds of families” still trapped under the rubble, the Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, said in a statement.
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