Northwest Turkey hit by a magnitude 5.4 earthquake

[Anthea]

EVERYONE CAN DO SOMETHING

Send donations to WELL ESTABLISHED organizations such as:

Médecins Sans Frontières
https://msf.org.uk/

or

Disasters Emergency Committee
https://www.dec.org.uk/

[Anthea]

Worryingly aftershocks have not stopped

1 hour ago 4.4 magnitude, 6 km depth
Çelikhan, Adıyaman, Turkey

2 hours ago 4.5 magnitude, 7 km depth
Musabeyli, Kilis, Turkey

3 hours ago 4.6 magnitude, 10 km depth
Göksun, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey

4 hours ago 4.0 magnitude, 10 km depth
Çelikhan, Adıyaman, Turkey

5 hours ago 4.2 magnitude, 10 km depth
Andırın, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey

6 hours ago 4.2 magnitude, 15 km depth
Sincik, Adıyaman, Turkey

[Anthea]

There are often earthquakes along the fault line, so much so that when this happened a week ago little notice was taken of it

1 week ago 4.2 magnitude, 10 km depth
Bahçe, Adana, Turkey

There exist numerous international teams of seismologists with equipment far beyond the understanding of any layman, or woman in my case

How was it that seismologists failed to recognize this as a precursor for a major disaster

Begs the question: could there be further mega quakes along the fault-line

[Anthea]

Sadly seems to me that DOZENS of people are asking for donation to help in the earthquake disaster

Respectable, establish organizations do NOT rely on go fund me

You probably find it difficult to believe that some people would take advantage of other people's suffering

2017 earthquake on the Iran-Iraq borders

639 dead
8,100- injured
70,000- homelass

Iran-Iraq border earthquake is deadliest of 2017

Rescue teams in Iran were looking for people in collapsed buildings

A huge rescue effort was under way after a powerful earthquake struck Iran's mountainous border with Iraq, killing more than 600 people and injuring more than 7,000.

Teams are looking for survivors trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings.

The quake is the deadliest in the world that year.

Most people who died were in western Iran in Sarpol-e-Zahab, a town 15km (10 miles) from the border, and other parts of Kermanshah province.

The town's main hospital was severely damaged, leaving it struggling to treat hundreds of wounded people, state TV reported.

A woman and her baby were pulled alive from rubble in the town, Iranian media said.

Many buildings in the town appear to have collapsed, amateur video posted to Twitter by a radio station showed.

Running water and electricity cut out in some cities, and after buildings collapsed people were forced to spend hours outdoors in parks or streets in cold weather.

Many homes in the predominantly Kurdish mountainous area are made of mud bricks and are vulnerable in quakes as large as Sunday's.

"We need shelter," a man in Sarpol-e Zahab told state TV. "Where is the aid? Where is the help?"

One aid agency said 70,000 people needed shelter after the quake, and there were reports that thousands of people were facing a second night in the cold as dusk fell.

The UN said it was "ready to assist if required" in a statement from a spokesman for the secretary-general.

Iranian officials said 650 people had died in the country. Some soldiers and border guards were among the dead, the Iranian army's commander-in-chief told the state news channel IRINN.

Man in doorway of tent pitched on street, with another man, a woman and a child visible around himImage source, EPA

After buildings collapsed in the earthquake, many victims spent the night outdoors

In Iraq nine people died, a Red Crescent spokesman told the BBC. A UN office in the country said more than 500 people were injured there, and the earthquake was felt in Irbil, Sulaimaniya, Kirkuk and Basra as well as the capital, Baghdad.

Landslides have made it harder for rescuers to reach those affected in rural areas, and there are fears a dam could burst after it was damaged by the earthquake. People living nearby have reportedly been asked to leave.
Media caption,

More than 1.8 million people live within 100km of the epicentre, the UN estimates.

The earthquake struck at a relatively shallow depth of 23.2 km, and tremors were felt in Turkey, Israel and Kuwait.

A map showing an earthquake in the Iran-Iraq border region

In 2003, a 6.6-magnitude quake destroyed the historic city of Bam in south-east Iran, killing 26,000 people.
................................................................
Every time there is such a disaster thousands of people donate millions to con-men with nothing more than bank account numbers

[Anthea]

The biggest con in recent years was:

BLACK LIVES MATTER

A world-wide organization that made MILLIONS for the organizers and nothing for the black organizations it was supposedly raising money to support

Millions of people living in the Turkish-Syrian borders will need a great deal of help for YEARS

Please do NOT give money to go-fund me groups or people asking you to donate of various bank accounts

Only donate to legitimate charities

Probably the best way to help is local collections of food parcels, blankets, warm clothing etc, where you can see the items actually going into lorries and heading for disaster areas

YOUR MONEY CAN SAVE LIVES, MAKE SURE IT REACHES THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT

[Anthea]

The ground is still settling

4.2 magnitude earthquake 2 km from Tut, Adıyaman, Turkey
1 hour ago
UTC time: Saturday, February 11, 2023 20:39 PM
Your time: Saturday, 11 February 2023 at 20:39 GMT

[Anthea]

WHO chief: Situation is tragic

The WHO chief says the organization would continue to provide Syria with emergency medical services

Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Saturday arrived in Syria, five days after the country was rocked by powerful earthquakes, Syrian state news agency SANA reported.

On Monday, a series of powerful earthquakes and aftershocks struck Turkey and Syria, resulting in the death of more than 24,000 people in total and destroying thousands of homes. In Syria, the death toll from the earthquake has risen to more than 4,000 people, with more than 7,000 injured, as many people are still under the rubble and rescue work is underway.

Tedros arrived at Aleppo International Airport to tour some hospitals of the city along with the Syrian Health Minister and Aleppo Governor, the report said.

"We have brought with us 35 tonnes of the most needed medicines for the victims of the earthquake," the WHO chief was quoted by SANA as saying.

"We are very happy that we could come with the supplies," he told reporters at Aleppo airport. "This is the first supply we are sending."

Tedros said the WHO would continue to provide emergency medical services and bring in more emergency supplies necessary for "trauma management".

"Tomorrow, there will be another round with more than 30 metric tonnes," he confirmed.

He expressed concern over the after-effects of the earthquake, especially the disruption of services.

"People are exposed to diarrhoeal diseases... and other health problems especially mental health problems," he said.

"We will work together to address the impact of the earthquake, not only the emergency services during the earthquake."

During a visit to inspect the earthquake damages, Tedros said the WHO has been helping Syria for a long time, that is, before and after the earthquake.

On his part, Syrian Health Minister Hassan Al-Ghabash indicated Tedros' visit was "of great importance in many aspects."

"He will first see the reality and what this disaster caused," Al-Ghabash said.

"We hope that Dr. Tedros sees the reality of hospitals and what they lack," the Syrian Minister added, calling on the WHO to help provide equipment the country is in dire need of.

The United Nations highlighted that the disaster may have left up to 5.3 million people homeless in Syria, including 200,000 people in Aleppo alone.

"Many hospitals, almost 50 percent of healthcare facilities are not functioning, and those which are functioning are lacking equipment, lacking staff, lacking medications," according to Ahmad Al Mandhari, WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean.

The World Health Organization, which has already released $16 million from its emergency fund, had previously said up to 23 million people could be impacted.

The organization will issue "an appeal for Turkey and Syria for over $40 million," WHO regional emergency director Richard Brennan said.

The UN agency said there was a dire need for immediate trauma care, post-trauma rehabilitative care, essential medicines, prevention and control to prevent disease outbreaks, and access to mental health support.

"These life-saving supplies will be used to treat and care for 100,000 people as well as for 120,000 urgent surgical interventions in both countries," it said.

"WHO's goal is to save lives in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, to minimize its downstream health consequences, including mental health, and to rapidly restore essential health services across all earthquake-affected populations."

Read more: Syria refers to US temporary sanctions waiver as ‘misleading’
The earthquake is a tragic matter par excellence: Tedros to Al Mayadeen

Tedros told Al Mayadeen that the organization continues to support Syria and will provide health assistance to the country, adding that the purpose of the visit is to secure immediate support for the country and that the WHO will continue to support it in the medium and long term.

The WHO chief considered that what is happening in Syria is a humanitarian situation that has affected everyone, calling on the international community to provide support for those affected.

He also described the earthquake as a tragic matter par excellence, in addition to the war, drought, and the suffering of the Syrians, hoping that the United States and other countries would take more measures to help overcome the repercussions of the earthquake.

It is noteworthy that the Public Safety Committee in the Syrian governorates began inspecting buildings to assess their habitability. Al Mayadeen delegate to Aleppo said 100 buildings are threatened with total collapse.

Earlier, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad told Al Mayadeen that "an official does not send messages to the people but rather receives them from his people because messages [feedback] coming from people and society are rich."

"The only message that an official can offer is sincere and honest work," Al-Assad indicated.

After he and First Lady Asma Al-Assad visited this morning the rescue and relief sites in Jableh in Latakia Governorate, the Syrian President said that "we must know that Western colonization began six centuries ago and has not changed."

Al-Assad and his wife also visited Tishreen University Hospital to check on those injured by the earthquake, thanking the Russian government for its assistance to the Syrian people in this ordeal.

On Friday, the Syrian President and his wife also visited earthquake survivors at the Aleppo University Hospital and met with members of the Operations Room in the city.

UN rapporteurs call for lifting economic restrictions on Syria

On Friday, United Nations experts called on the international community to take immediate action to enable effective emergency response and recovery in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey.

In a statement, the experts called for lifting all economic and financial restrictions caused by the unilateral sanctions on Syria "in this sad period of human suffering."

It noted that the Syrian diaspora is unable to provide financial support through remittances or other means of financing.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... -is-tragic

[Anthea]

UN office in Damascus asks Syrian Red Crescent to postpone the entry of aid convoy to Idlib, which was scheduled for tomorrow

[Anthea]

Death toll passes 28,000

Unrest in southern Turkey has disrupted rescue efforts following Monday's deadly earthquake, three rescue groups have said

The death toll in Turkey and Syria from the quake has surpassed 28,000, and hope of finding many more survivors is fading despite some miraculous rescues.

German rescuers and the Austrian army paused search operations on Saturday, citing clashes between unnamed groups

Security is expected to worsen as food supplies dwindle, one rescuer said.

And nearly 50 people have been arrested for looting, with several guns seized, local media reported.

Turkey's president said he would use emergency powers to punish anyone breaking the law.

An Austrian army spokesperson said early on Saturday that clashes between unidentified groups in the Hatay province had left dozens of personnel from the Austrian Forces Disaster Relief Unit seeking shelter in a base camp with other international organisations

"There is increasing aggression between factions in Turkey," Lieutenant Colonel Pierre Kugelweis said in a statement. "The chances of saving a life bears no reasonable relation to the safety risk."

Hours after Austria paused its rescue efforts, the country's ministry of defence said that the Turkish army had stepped in to offer protection, allowing the rescue operations to resume.

The German branch of the search and rescue group ISAR and Germany's Federal Agency for Technical Relief (TSW) also suspended operations, citing security concerns.

"There are more and more reports of clashes between different factions, shots have also been fired," said ISAR spokesperson Stefan Heine.

Steven Bayer, operations manager of Isar, said he expected security to worsen as food, water, and hope become more scarce.

"We are watching the security situation very closely as it develops," he said.

German rescue teams said they would resume work as soon as Turkish authorities deem the situation safe, Reuters news agency reported.

The Vice President of Turkey, Fuat Oktay announced on Saturday the death toll in Turkey has risen to 24,617.

While Turkey's President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan hasn't commented on the reported unrest in Hatay, he did reiterate on Saturday that the government would take action against those involved in crimes in the region.

"We've declared a state of emergency," Mr Erdogan said during a visit to the disaster zone today. "It means that, from now on, the people who are involved in looting or kidnapping should know that the state's firm hand is on their backs."

State media reported on Saturday that 48 people had been arrested for looting, according to AFP. Turkish state media reported several guns were seized, along with cash, jewellery and bank cards.

A 26-year-old man searching for a work colleague in a collapsed building in Antakya told Reuters: "People were smashing the windows and fences of shops and cars."

Turkish police have also reportedly detained 12 people over collapsed buildings in the provinces of Gaziantep and Sanliurfa. They included contractors, according to the DHA news agency.

At least 6,000 buildings collapsed in Turkey, raising questions about if the large-scale tragedy could have been avoided and whether President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government could have done more to save lives.

With elections looming, the president's future is on the line after spending 20 years in power and his pleas for national unity going unheeded.

Mr Erdogan has admitted shortcomings in the response, but he appeared to blame fate on a visit to one disaster zone: "Such things have always happened. It's part of destiny's plan."

Miraculous rescues after 100 hours under rubble

Among those rescued on Saturday were a family of five pulled from the rubble in Turkey's Gaziantep province.

AP news agency reported the parents, two daughters and son were brought to safety after five days under their collapsed home, to cries of "God is great".

The same outlet reported that a seven-year-old girl was pulled from the debris in the province of Hatay after almost 132 hours under the rubble.

The BBC has also published footage of the remarkable rescue of two sisters in Antakya, southern Turkey, from Wednesday.

The quake was described as the "worst event in 100 years in this region" by the United Nations aid chief, who was in the Turkish province of Kahramanmaras on Saturday.

"I think it's the worst natural disaster that I've ever seen and it's also the most extraordinary international response," Martin Griffiths told the BBC's Lyse Doucet in Turkey.

"We have more than a hundred countries who have sent people here so there's been incredible response but there's a need for it," he added.

Mr Griffiths has called for regional politics to be put aside in the face of the disaster - and there are some signs that this is happening.

The border crossing between long-feuding Armenia and Turkey reopened on Saturday for the first time in 35 years to allow aid through.

And there are reports that the Syrian government has agreed to let UN aid into areas controlled by opposition groups, with whom they have been engaged in a bitter civil war since 2011.

The death toll in Syria from the earthquake now stands at more than 3,500, according to AFP - but new figures have not been publishes since Friday.

There has been criticism that the international effort to send aid to Syria has not been fast enough.

Ismail al Abdullah of the Syrian Civil Defence Force, or White Helmets, which operates in rebel-held areas, told the BBC's Quentin Sommerville that the organisation had stopped searching for survivors.

The international community has "blood on its hands," he said. "We needed rescue equipment that never came."

Sivanka Dhanapala, the Syria representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told AlJazeera that as many 5.3 million Syrians may be homeless following the quake.

"That is a huge number and comes to a population already suffering mass displacement," he said.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-64608535

[Anthea]

Death toll to top 50,000

The United Nations says, according to estimates, that the current death toll from the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria expected to top 50,000

"I think it is difficult to estimate precisely as we need to get under the rubble, but I'm sure it will double or more,” Martin Griffiths said.

"It's deeply shocking... the idea that these mountains of rubble still hold people, some of them still alive,” he said, adding that "we haven't really begun to count the number of dead."

Griffiths arrived in Turkey's southern city of Kahramanmaras on Saturday, the epicenter of the first 7.8-magnitude earthquake that rocked millions of people on Monday.

Hopes for those trapped under wreckage in Turkey are fading with each passing moment, Griffiths said, as rescue efforts in Syria were nearing completion. "They say 72 hours is the golden period (for rescues)," Griffiths said.

"But just now they have pulled out someone alive, an hour or two ago. It must be incredibly difficult to decide when to stop this rescue phase and move into the next phase, which is also going to have its problems," he added.

24,617 people have been killed in Turkey and more than 4,000 in Syria, for a total confirmed death toll of 28,191, according to officials and medics.
Up to 5.3 million may be displaced in Syria

Tens of thousands of rescue workers are excavating through flattened neighborhoods and debris in subzero temperatures, with millions now in desperate need of assistance.

Apart from the national rescuers, there are also 8,294 international rescuers present. "Soon, the search and rescue people will make way for the humanitarian agencies, whose job is to look after the extraordinary numbers of those affected for the next months," Griffiths said in a video posted on Twitter.

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that around 26 million people have been affected by the earthquake as it launched a flash appeal on Saturday for $42.8 million to cope with immediate and overwhelming health needs.

At least 870,000 people in Turkey and Syria require hot meals right now, according to the UN. In Syria alone, up to 5.3 million people may have been displaced.

Conditions in Syria are even worse, as the country has been hit by years of war backed by the West, and harsh American sanctions make it difficult to get aid into the Arab country.

It is "much more difficult for [Syria] to cope with this tragedy because of those desperately lost years," Griffiths said.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/mis ... 0-un-warns

[Anthea]

Remember the Yazidis

It is almost 9 years since the genocide that wiped out thousands of these peace loving, gentle people

They have been FORGOTTEN, most of their lands and villages have not yet been rebuilt and the coalition that bombed everything is sight in order to destroy ISIS. have FAILED to rebuild that which it helped to DESTROY

Violent militant groups have taken control of their lands and Turkey periodically bombs the area

THOUSAND of Yazidis live in dangerous camps far too frightened to return to their homelands, they rely on basic aid packages with shortages of healthy food and a lack of warm clothing, heaters that often cause fires, several families using a single toilet

If the world cannot help to feed, house and cloth the Yazidis, what hope is there for the MILLIONS of earthquake victim

[Anthea]

I am VERY worried about the strength of the most recent aftershock

4.9 magnitude earthquake 7 km from Hekimhan, Malatya, Turkey
27 minutes ago
UTC time: Sunday, February 12, 2023 16:29 PM
Your time: Sunday, 12 February 2023 at 16:29 GMT
Magnitude Type: mb
USGS page: M 4.9 - 7 km E of Hekimhan, Turkey

Hekimhan, Malatya, Turkey
2 hours ago 4.3 magnitude, 10 km depth

Göksun, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey
3 hours ago 4.6 magnitude, 10 km depth

Çelikhan, Adıyaman, Turkey
4 hours ago 4.2 magnitude, 9 km depth

[Anthea]

US major threat

International calls, spearheaded by China, demanded that the US lift its unilateral sanctions against Syria amid ongoing efforts to find survivors following the devastating earthquake that struck the country last Monday

According to a piece by Abbey Makoe for the IOL, a South African newspaper, thousands of lives have been lost as a result of the catastrophic earthquake that hit both Syria and Turkey. While humanitarian aid to Turkey was "relatively smooth", Makoe reported, that in Syria, unilateral sanctions "are frustrating efforts to transport aid to Syria."

It is worth noting that Turkey is not only a member of the NATO alliance but also constitutes the second-largest military in the organization.

War-torn Syria suffocated by unilateral sanctions

The South African writer explained that Syria has suffered immensely under a 12-year war prior to the devastating earthquake. During that war, the US imposed unilateral sanctions against Syria as it supported "various Arab rebels fighting to overthrow the government of President Bashar Al-Assad," as per US claims.

These restrictions have hindered aid to the Syrian people and nation leaving anyone stuck beneath the rubble to face their own fate as the Syrian search and rescue teams undergo major setbacks at all levels.

It is worth reminding, as did IOL, that approximately "1000 US soldiers continue to operate in Kurdish-controlled areas in the country’s oil-rich northeast." US soldiers are operating on "Syria’s southern border area" as they cooperate with "Arab rebel factions that they sponsor."

Chinese concern

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning called on the US to lift its sanctions on Syria and “unlock the doors for humanitarian aid,” reported IOL.

Mao noted that “the devastating earthquakes – on top of years of war and turmoil – have left Syria in a terrible humanitarian crisis," and emphasized that "the frequent [US] military strikes and harsh economic sanctions have caused huge civilian casualties and taken away the means to the subsistence of the Syrians.”

Furthermore, Mao attacked Washington for stealing Syria’s oil “at a staggering rate." The spokesperson said, “As we speak, the US troops continue to occupy Syria’s principal oil-producing regions. They have plundered more than 80% of Syria’s oil production and smuggled and burned Syria’s grain stock," adding, "All this has made Syria’s humanitarian crisis even worse.”

Global concern

El-Mostafa Benlamlih, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim for Syria, characterized the current situation in Syria as “a crisis on top of a crisis."

According to the article, Benlamlih's statement during a press conference on Wednesday in which he stated, “We just hope that the political considerations will get out of the way and let us do our job,” is a veiled appeal to the US.

Alongside Benlamlih, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) President Khaled Hboubati said, “The evacuation process and rescue operations are restricted due to obstacles resulting from the severe sanctions. We have shortages in heavy machines and equipment needed to lift the rubble.”

The true face of America exposed

According to the IOL piece, the tragedy in Syria has revealed the US' "cantankerous foreign policy" and exposed its "much-flaunted" humanitarianism "as a fallacy."

The South African writer put forward a couple of questions in his quest to prove his abovementioned claims: "Is Washington truly oblivious to the human tragedy that is currently unfolding in Syria where innocent men, women, and children need to be rescued under thousands of collapsed buildings? Where is Washington’s heart, if they have any?"

Makoe also called on the international community to "blatantly disregard America’s unilateral sanctions in Syria and rush to the aid of fellow human beings," adding, "After all, the US sanctions are not even the UN sanctions against Syria."

The writer argued that the "US and the EU are a major threat to world peace" and explained that their "'rules-based world order' is a ploy to undermine the UN and the majority of its member-states." On this note, Makoe warned that "if not careful, the UN would be moribund."With regard to the Syrian crisis and the US unilateral sanctions on the country, the IOL writer said, "The failure to allow a free and safe passage for international aid organisations to do their work of saving lives in Syria would be an indictment on all the UN-affiliated countries that are looking the other way as the US blatantly abuses its power."

Syria refers to US temporary sanctions waiver as ‘misleading’

Due to the current logistical difficulties following the powerful earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria and following an international outcry, the US has decided to issue a six-month sanctions exemption on Syria for all disaster relief-related transactions, but Syria has dismissed the US sanctions waiver as "misleading".

“The misleading decision taken by the US administration to temporarily ease some of the cruel and unilateral sanctions on the Syrian nation is out of sham and hypocrisy and is no different from previous gestures meant to convey an erroneous humanitarian impression. While the sanctions waiver is proclaimed to allow the flow of humanitarian aid, the realities on the ground prove the opposite,” the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said in a statement on Friday.

It added, “US coercive measures and policies have deprived Syrians of their natural wealth, which is being plundered, and have created obstacles for state institutions to improve living standards, implement development projects and achieve targeted goals, and provide basic services.”

Minimal Western aid to Syria, despite temporary lift of sanctions

Despite the US Treasury announcing the temporary lifting of some Syria-related sanctions, no Western country other than Italy has provided Damascus with aid following the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the country and Turkey.

Although some Western countries pledged support for Syria, realities on the ground prove the opposite, as only militant-controlled areas have received Western aid so far.

Al Mayadeen correspondent reported that the first plane coming from Italy, loaded with aid to Syria from a Tunisian businessman, arrived at Beirut Airport in the Lebanese capital, with another expected to land later, as per Lebanese Minister of Public Works and Transport in the Lebanese caretaker government, Ali Hamieh, who said earlier in a statement to Al Mayadeen that two Italian aid planes will land at Beirut airport today and then head to Syria.

The head of the medical delegation coming from Italy, Tammam Yousef, said, "These planes are a message of solidarity from the Italian people to the Syrian people."

According to Yousef, the planes are loaded with four ambulances, as well as clothes and medical materials, adding that there is a third plane that will take off in the coming days from Italy, carrying additional aid to the Syrian people.

The abstention of the West comes despite Geir Pedersen, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, stressing the need to avoid "politicization" of aid to earthquake victims in Syria and urging Washington and Brussels to ensure there were "no impediments".

Pedersen told reporters in Geneva that aid is needed to get to Syrian state-controlled areas, as well as those controlled by militants.

"Certain" sanctions on Syria must be lifted in order for the international community to deliver essential goods to address peoples' urgent needs in the aftermath of Monday's earthquake, underlined Corinne Fleischer, UN World Food Programme (WFP) Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... o-world-pe

The first countries to provide rescue teams and aid were Iran, Russia and Venezuela who could not be deterred by US sanctions, other countries were frightened away due to the US sanctions resulting to an increased loss of life as the first couple of days are crucial to the survival of those trapped

BY NOW QUAKES SHOULD BE WEAKENING

2 hours ago 4.3 magnitude, 21 km depth
Nurdağı, Gaziantep, Turkey

2 hours ago 4.7 magnitude, 15 km depth
Kahramanmaraş, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey

3 hours ago 4.1 magnitude, 10 km depth
Göksun, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey

4 hours ago 4.9 magnitude, 10 km depth
Hekimhan, Malatya, Turkey

6 hours ago 4.3 magnitude, 10 km depth
Göksun, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey

7 hours ago 4.6 magnitude, 10 km depth
Çelikhan, Adıyaman, Turkey

8 hours ago 4.2 magnitude, 9 km depth
Musabeyli, Kilis, Turkey

11 hours ago 4.1 magnitude, 16 km depth
Malatya, Malatya, Turkey

11 hours ago 4.1 magnitude, 10 km depth
Oymaklı, Hatay, Turkey

[Anthea]

Many charged with negligence

The Turkish authorities have charged more than 100 people with negligence and manslaughter, among other charges

The Turkish authorities have charged at least 14 people with negligence, manslaughter, and building code violations amid a popular demand for accountability in light of the devastating earthquake that hit the country earlier in the week.

Authorities have started arresting over 100 contractors, architects, and engineers who had a hand in the construction of buildings that began collapsing starting Monday after the massive earthquake hit Turkey.

Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said Saturday that the Police have so far identified 131 suspects who played a role in the construction of the structures that collapsed.

Oktay revealed that detention orders have already been issued for 113 of them, with more than ten being imprisoned already over charges of building code violations and reckless manslaughter, among other charges.

As the government prioritizes rescue efforts, the judicial process will follow, and all of those guilty of negligence and fault will be held accountable, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Wednesday.

The Justice Ministry has started instructing local prosecutors to establish "Earthquake Crime Investigation Departments" in the 10 provinces where a state of emergency has been declared, another Turkish outlet said.

Moreover, according to Turkish media, some 50 people have been so far arrested for looting in the wake of the natural disaster amid popular outrage against the phenomenon, with bystanders having been filmed trying to beat a suspected looter as the police were attempting to detain him.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday that the death toll from the devastating earthquakes in Turkey has increased to 21,043 people, with over 80,000 others injured,

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake on Monday was one of the deadliest natural disasters to strike the region this century, prompting dozens of countries to send rescue teams to help in the search. Experts warned that the window for finding survivors was closing in the aftermath of the quake.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... -in-turkey

[Anthea]

Refugee Camps

Today, there are more refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) than at any point since World War II. Driven from their homes by conflict, persecution, environmental calamity, or dire economic straits, these refugees—more than half of whom are children—some have been deprived of their statehood, material possessions, and in many cases, their loved ones. They seek solace in purpose-built refugee camps and unplanned settlements, where they wait out their displacement, or attempt to begin life anew.

Most of the world’s refugee camps were designed as temporary facilities. However, many have grown and developed into fully fledged cities, replete with vibrant economies, systems of governance, and civic institutions.

Refugee camps are monuments to human suffering, and the sheer size of these settlements testifies to the severity of forced displacement around the world. Yet, the settlements are also spaces of hope and optimism: for many inhabitants, these camps represent a stepping stone on the path to safety and prosperity.

Now is the time for humanitarian organizations to find the best ways in which to provide for the needs of the earthquake survivors

To enable agencies to provide support for survivors, some form of camps need to be set up. The danger is that as with the Yazidis, people will be left in the camps forgotten by the world as news follows the next humanitarian disaster

Anyone who has any thoughts PLEASE share them with us