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Update: Rescuers search for survivors after quake kills 4,800
- The heavy machinery worked through the night here in Adana, klieg lights illuminating the collapsed buildings and huge slabs of concrete in monochromatic scenes repeated across southern Turkey.Occasionally the work would stop, a call of Allahu akbar would rise up when a survivor is found, and too when the dead were recovered.A big Turkish and international rescue effort is under way here. My plane from Lebanon was full of firefighters and paramedics, on arrival Adana airport was packed with Swiss and Romanian rescue workers in their hundreds.The city is full of the homeless. Those who lost their homes and others too fearful of aftershocks to return to apartments and houses. The first earthquake struck in the middle of the night, 03:20 local time (00:20 GMT). It shook and thundered for 90 seconds, it felt like forever, but at the same time was only an instant to collect belongings and leave for safety. Some left without shoes, coats and phone chargers. Temperatures are expected to drop below freezing later this week.
.Copyright: .As much as this is a catastrophe for Turkey, the situation in northern Syria is more desperate. The border remains tightly controlled, there is no international rescue effort and little heavy machinery.The 1.7 million displaced people living on the border thought their lives couldn’t get any worse, then the earthquake came. They’d been living in temporary shelters and half-finished buildings for years, refugees in their own country, escaping Syrian President Bashar Al Assad’s reign of terror.In Jinderes, Aleppo, and Bania, Idlib, entire towns collapsed around the people. They call out for help and cry in pain, but there is almost no one to respond to their calls. In northern more than a decade of war left the people had almost nothing, this terrible earthquake has left them with even less.Article share tools
- Posted at 23:53 6 Feb23:53 6 FebUK medical team waiting for flight to Turkey
EPACopyright: EPACountries around the world are sending aid and teams to Turkey to help with the rescue missionImage caption: Countries around the world are sending aid and teams to Turkey to help with the rescue missionWe’ve just heard from David Wightwick, of UK-Med, who’s waiting to board a flight to Turkey where he’ll lead the UK’s medical response team there.He says the initial crew of six people includes surgeons, paramedics, emergency medical staff and logistics staff. More NHS staff will likely join them, he tells Radio 4’s Today programme, but it’s important for them to arrive first and see how they can best help.They don’t want to take up too much space before they know what it is they can do to assist Turkish officials, he says.Asked what it’s like arriving in a disaster zone, Wightwick says it’s “unsurprisingly chaotic, for fairly obvious reasons”. He says teams like his usually face a litany of logistical barriers, such as closed roads.”I’ve worked cross-border before in Turkey,” Wightwick tells the BBC, referring to the damage in Syria, “the infrastructure was good then… whether that’s still the case remains to be seen.”Article share tools
BBCCopyright: BBCAfter heavy rain and significant snow in southern Turkey and northern Syria, it will generally get drier and sunnier through this week.Some snow showers are still possible on Tuesday but with colder air digging in, freezing conditions will cause even more concern.In Gaziantep, where the first quake struck, it will be around 4-6C by day – but plummeting overnight to -7C. It could be as low as -15C in the towns and villages towards the mountains.It won’t be as cold in Syria, but no more than 10 or 11C by day and -3C by night.As we’ve been reporting, many people are having to huddle around makeshift fires on the street, too afraid to go home for fear of another deadly tremor.
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- Posted at 23:27 6 Feb23:27 6 FebDeath toll rises to more than 4,800The latest figures are here. In Turkey, the number of people who’ve died because of these earthquakes has risen to 3,381, according to the country’s disaster authority.Orhan Tatar, an official at the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), says a further 20,426 have been injured and 5,775 buildings collapsed.The new count brings the combined death toll in Turkey and neighbouring Syria to 4,890.This number is likely to keep rising, stay with us for all the latest developments.Article share tools
- Posted at 22:58 6 Feb22:58 6 FebAir bridge established, 300,000 blankets delivered – Turkey
EPACopyright: EPAMore than 41,000 family tents have been delivered to the disaster area, Turkish officials sayImage caption: More than 41,000 family tents have been delivered to the disaster area, Turkish officials sayIn its latest update, Turkey’s disaster and emergencies agency AFAD says 2,660 personnel from 65 countries have been sent to help in the search and rescue operation.Together with the Turkish rescuers, 13,740 people have already been assigned to work in the disaster area. They are using 629 cranes and 360 vehicles.The AFAD also says an air bridge has been established, and 146 aid-delivering sorties have already been made.In total, 300,000 blankets and 41,504 family tents have been delivered, along with heaters and kitchen sets.Article share tools
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- Posted at 22:38 6 Feb22:38 6 FebIndia in solidarity with TurkeyIndia has sent search and rescue teams and relief supplies to earthquake-hit Turkey.Indian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said Delhi had sent its first batch of teams with medical supplies, trained dog squads, drilling machines and other necessary equipment to the nation.He tweeted photographs of supplies being loaded on to an Indian air force plane, which took off from Delhi early Tuesday morning.On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that “sympathies of 1.4 billion people of India are with the earthquake-affected people of Turkey”.Turkish Ambassador to India Firat Sunel has expressed his gratitude, saying that “a friend in need is a friend indeed”.Article share tools
- Posted at 21:46 6 Feb21:46 6 FebThe latest from disaster area – quick recap
ReutersCopyright: ReutersIf you’re just joining us – here’s the latest from Turkey and Syria:
- It’s now just after 08:45 local time there, and a massive search and rescue operation that continued overnight is expected to pick up speed
- The confirmed death toll has surged to more than 4,300 – but it’s likely to rise further as more sites are searched in the wide area
- Turkey’s emergency agency AFAD says more than 2,600 personnel from 65 countries have been sent to the disaster area to assist Turkish rescuers
- In total, 300,000 blankets and more than 41,00 family tents have been delivered
- Thousands of buildings have collapsed after the 7.8 magnitude quake near Gaziantep, Turkey, hit in the early hours of Monday while people were asleep
- A 7.5-magnitude tremor then hit nearby several hours later, causing further damage to a region that was already badly shaken
- Posted at 20:56 6 Feb20:56 6 FebIstanbul sends 13,000 rescue personnel to quake zoneIstanbul has dispatched about 13,000 rescue personnel to the earthquake zone early Tuesday morning, said Governor Ali Yerlikaya.The team comprises staff and volunteers, and were sent particularly to the Hatay province.Hatay has suffered devastating damage from Monday’s earthquake
.Copyright: .As much as this is a catastrophe for Turkey, the situation in northern Syria is more desperate. The border remains tightly controlled, there is no international rescue effort and little heavy machinery.The 1.7 million displaced people living on the border thought their lives couldn’t get any worse, then the earthquake came. They’d been living in temporary shelters and half-finished buildings for years, refugees in their own country, escaping Syrian President Bashar Al Assad’s reign of terror.In Jinderes, Aleppo, and Bania, Idlib, entire towns collapsed around the people. They call out for help and cry in pain, but there is almost no one to respond to their calls. In northern more than a decade of war left the people had almost nothing, this terrible earthquake has left them with even less.Article share tools
EPACopyright: EPACountries around the world are sending aid and teams to Turkey to help with the rescue missionImage caption: Countries around the world are sending aid and teams to Turkey to help with the rescue missionWe’ve just heard from David Wightwick, of UK-Med, who’s waiting to board a flight to Turkey where he’ll lead the UK’s medical response team there.He says the initial crew of six people includes surgeons, paramedics, emergency medical staff and logistics staff. More NHS staff will likely join them, he tells Radio 4’s Today programme, but it’s important for them to arrive first and see how they can best help.They don’t want to take up too much space before they know what it is they can do to assist Turkish officials, he says.Asked what it’s like arriving in a disaster zone, Wightwick says it’s “unsurprisingly chaotic, for fairly obvious reasons”. He says teams like his usually face a litany of logistical barriers, such as closed roads.”I’ve worked cross-border before in Turkey,” Wightwick tells the BBC, referring to the damage in Syria, “the infrastructure was good then… whether that’s still the case remains to be seen.”Article share tools
BBCCopyright: BBCAfter heavy rain and significant snow in southern Turkey and northern Syria, it will generally get drier and sunnier through this week.Some snow showers are still possible on Tuesday but with colder air digging in, freezing conditions will cause even more concern.In Gaziantep, where the first quake struck, it will be around 4-6C by day – but plummeting overnight to -7C. It could be as low as -15C in the towns and villages towards the mountains.It won’t be as cold in Syria, but no more than 10 or 11C by day and -3C by night.As 
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EPACopyright: EPAMore than 41,000 family tents have been delivered to the disaster area, Turkish officials sayImage caption: More than 41,000 family tents have been delivered to the disaster area, Turkish officials sayIn its latest update, Turkey’s disaster and emergencies agency AFAD says 2,660 personnel from 65 countries have been sent to help in the search and rescue operation.Together with the Turkish rescuers, 13,740 people have already been assigned to work in the disaster area. They are using 629 cranes and 360 vehicles.The AFAD also says an air bridge has been established, and 146 aid-delivering sorties have already been made.In total, 300,000 blankets and 41,504 family tents have been delivered, along with heaters and kitchen sets.Article share tools
ReutersCopyright: ReutersIf you’re just joining us – here’s the latest from Turkey and Syria:Source; BBC
