Senior Turkish official recommends the immediate demolition of 50,576 damaged buildings in the earthquake-hit region as the country grapples with its deadliest disaster in the recent century.
Türkiye's Environment, Urban Planning and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum has announced that 50,576 damaged buildings have to be "immediately" demolished in the earthquake-hit areas of the country.
Kurum issued the statement on Wednesday as the country continues to grapple with the deadliest disaster in 100 years.
According to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, more than 35,000 people have died as a result of last week's quake, making it the deadliest of such disasters in Türkiye since the founding of the republic 100 years ago.
The 35,418 reported deaths surpassed those recorded from the massive Erzincan earthquake in 1939 which killed around 33,000 people.
Amid the mounting death toll, Turkish search and rescue teams saved on Wednesday a woman who was trapped in the rubble for 222 hours.
In neighbouring Syria, the number of deaths reached 5,814, according to the latest figures, bringing the total death toll from both countries to over 41,232.
Here is how you can help the earthquake victims.
Wednesday, February 15, 2023
1300 GMT — 'First time in my life': Russian rescue leader weighs in on scale of Türkiye quakes
Chupriyan Aleksandr, a senior Russian official who oversaw Moscow's search and rescue operations in the southern provinces of Kahramanmaras and Hatay, said that his country suffered a large earthquake on the Sakhalin Islands in the early 1990s but not on the scale of the two quakes that jolted Türkiye."But the scale like this, no ... this is the first time in my life," said Aleksandr, first deputy minister of Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations.
He spoke at a closing ceremony of his unit of almost 200 personnel before they flew home.
1256 GMT — Saudi Arabia to establish 3,000 temporary houses for quake victims in Türkiye, Syria
Saudi Arabia “is studying the construction of 3,000 temporary houses in quake-hit areas in Türkiye and Syria,” Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Rabeeah, head of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, told Al Ekhbariya television.
He said the centre has already distributed thousands of tents to shelter the quake victims in the two countries.
"We will continue to help those affected by the earthquake disaster in Syria and Türkiye for weeks and perhaps months due to the great scale of the tragedy,” Al Rabeeah said.
1253 GMT — NATO chief to visit quake-hit Türkiye for solidarity
At a news conference following the two-day meeting of NATO defence ministers, alliance head Jens Stoltenberg said he will hold talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
During the visit, Stoltenberg intends to express his solidarity, his condolences and continue the discussions with the Turkish interlocutors on how NATO can provide further “relief support and alleviate the suffering and the consequences of the terrible earthquake.”
He said he closed the defence ministers meeting by asking them to provide more strategic airlift, as well as to bring more tents and humanitarian aid.
1249 GMT — Iraq to dispatch fuel to Syria, Türkiye after earthquake disaster
Iraq will dispatch 60,000 tonnes of fuel oil to neighbouring Syria following last week’s deadly earthquakes.
The Iraqi government also said it will provide Türkiye with 30,000 tons of fuel oil in solidarity with Ankara.
In a statement, the Iraqi government said the aid shipment will be delivered to the Syrian side through Al Mikhtaf area in the Iraqi territorial waters.
People who lost their houses in the devastating earthquake, lineup to receive aid supplies at a makeshift camp, in Iskenderun city in southern Türkiye. (AP)
1127 GMT — 77-year-old woman saved after 226 hours
Life-saving teams in the epicentre of twin earthquakes-hit Kahramanmaras have rescued a 77-year-old woman 226 hours later from the disaster area.
Search and rescue teams and bystanders chanted happily after Cemile Kekec was pulled out safely from the rubble, video circulation on social media showed.
1047 GMT — Turkish president receives Malaysia's premier after deadly quakes
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in the capital Ankara for talks.Erdogan and Ibrahim held a closed-door meeting at the presidential complex, according to the Turkish presidency.
The meeting came after two strong earthquakes jolted southeastern Türkiye on February 6.
0953 GMT — UAE sends 60 relief planes to Türkiye, Syria since earthquakes
“The United Arab Emirates continued, for the 9th consecutive day, to send relief aid to those affected by the earthquakes in Syria and Türkiye,” the official WAM news agency said.
The agency stated that the planes "carried 1,375 tons of food and medical supplies and tents to shelter the affected people."
As part of the relief operation, the UAE has flown 30 cargo planes to Türkiye and 30 to Syria, bringing the total number of flights to 60 so far.
0940 GMT — Ukraine shares pain, tragedy of quake-hit Turkish people: Ukrainian rescue team chief
"Pain has no colour, race, or religion. We share the pain and tragedy of the Turkish people," said Konstantin Silayev, who heads a Ukrainian team of 77 rescuers and 10 search and rescue dogs in Hatay, one of the 10 provinces hit worst by the earthquakes.
Nothing that his team trained for could have prepared them for such a situation, Silayev said, adding: "Unfortunately we had to use our skills not only in exercises but also in real events."
"Very familiar frames. We saw collapsed buildings on the road and people stuck in the street," he said. "There is a similar picture in our country right now."
0924 GMT — Bangladeshi rescue team continues working in Türkiye’s quake-hit region
“The government of Bangladesh sent a rescue team consisting of 46 members to conduct rescue operations and provide medical support in the quake-hit area. At present the team is working at (southeastern) Adiyaman province,” the Bangladeshi Embassy in Ankara said in a statement.
“Despite the challenges of the weather situation, the Bangladeshi rescue team remains fearless, working tirelessly day and night to bring comfort and hope to those in need in Adiyaman province,” it said.
So far, the team rescued one person and pulled out 20 bodies from the debris. The team is likely to be redeployed to other areas soon, it added.
0811 GMT — Over 50K buildings need to be destroyed: minister
Türkiye's Environment, Urban Planning and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum said 50,576 damaged buildings "immediately" have to be demolished in the earthquake-hit areas.
According to the damage assessment findings, the government has inspected 387,346 buildings in the country's 10 provinces and 279,655 of them are lightly damaged or non-damaged buildings, he stated.
"We will quickly demolish what needs to be demolished and build safe buildings," the minister said.
0747 GMT — Woman saved 222 hours after deadly quake
Turkish search and rescue teams have saved 42-year-old Melike Imamoglu from the rubble 222 hours after the February 6 disaster.
The miracle rescue on the tenth day of the disaster on Wednesday took place in Kahramanmaras, the epicentre of the two powerful earthquakes that affected about 15 million people
Rescue operation in Kahramanmaras for three teenage sisters called off after no signs of life found. Melinda Nucifora is there#TurkiyeQuakes pic.twitter.com/Vzsxw1N2SZ
— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) February 15, 2023
0735 GMT — Jordan's foreign minister to visit Türkiye, Syria to show solidarity after quake
Jordan's foreign minister Ayman Safadi will be heading to Türkiye and Syria on Wednesday in a "show of solidarity" after the quake that killed thousands of people in both countries, an official source said.
Jordan, which neighbours Syria, has sent large shipments of aid to both countries.
0642 GMT — Over 76 states sent rescue teams to Türkiye: Ankara
Turkish Foreign Ministry has released information on how many foreign search and rescue teams and foreign personnel are taking place in earthquake-hit areas in southeastern Türkiye.
According to the statement 100 states offered to help Türkiye while rescue teams from 76 countries are in the field. A total of 7,606 foreign personnel are involved in search and rescue operations in the region.
Türkiye also expects two more states to send their teams and 712 more foreign personnel will join the rescue effort.
Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced that 12 foreign rescue teams have completed their mission in the designated areas and have returned to their countries as of Wednesday.
0449 GMT — Poland to send new batch of aid supplies to Türkiye
Poland will send a new batch of aid supplies to quake-stricken Türkiye, Anadolu Agency reported on Wednesday.
Turkish Ambassador Cengiz Kamil Fırat told Anadolu that Poland had dispatched a rescue team as well as a field hospital with medical equipment, doctors and nurses to Türkiye.
"The rescue team served in the province of Adiyaman and rescued 12 of our citizens. We are truly grateful to them. All of the Polish teams will return tomorrow, and we would like to welcome them with banners and flags. We want to thank you," he said.
0446 GMT — UNICEF: Millions of children affected by quakes
A total of 4.6 million children living in the 10 provinces in Türkiye struck by the two earthquakes were affected, while 2.5 million children in Syria were affected, according to UNICEF spokesman James Elder.
Elder expressed concern that thousands of children may have lost their lives due to the earthquakes and underscored the need for additional support for children and their families.Social media is young.
Social media raises questions.
Social media is not satisfied with an answer.
Social media looks at the big picture.
Social media is interested in every detail.
social media is curious.
Social media is free.
Social media is irreplaceable.
But never irrelevant.
Social media is you.
(With input from news agency language)
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