In terribly adverse conditions, the last efforts of rescuers to find survivors under the ruins left by the terrible, successive earthquakes Monday centered at its borders Turkey With Syria. Rain during the day and frost at night, the mercury column in many of the affected areas dropped well below zero, damage to the road network and, in the case of Syria, the pre-existing disasters of civil war make it very difficult to get a timely response to the arrival of international humanitarian aid.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan yesterday declared a state of emergency in ten provinces of his country, which were severely tested by Enceladus. According to Turkish authorities, about 13.5 million citizens were affected by earthquakes in an area stretching 450 kilometers along the west-east axis (from Adana to Diyarbakir) and 300 kilometers along the north-south axis (from Malatya to Hatay). . The state of emergency is expected to last three months (i.e. until the eve of the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections), but may be extended. Its goal is to quickly take the necessary measures in the affected areas, without the delays that accompany normal parliamentary procedure.

Until last night, there were more than 7,200 earthquake victims, more than 5,400 of them in Turkey. As hope of finding survivors wanes by the hour, the burden is gradually shifting to the next day’s huge tasks: treating tens of thousands of the wounded and placing hundreds of thousands of homeless people at the mercy of the elements, and on both sides of the border. Already yesterday, the Turkish government announced that hotels in the tourist area of ​​Antalya will be opened within a few days to accommodate the victims of the earthquake.

They “see” 20,000 dead

The tragedy’s ultimate casualties are expected to be much higher than yesterday’s count – experts expect the death toll to reach or exceed 20,000. There are probably thousands of children among them, UNICEF spokesman James Elder estimated yesterday.

Tayyip Erdogan declared a state of emergency for three months in ten affected areas of his country.

Representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) drew attention to the nightmarishly difficult situation prevailing in Syria. As Adelaide Marchang of the WHO Crisis Management Team pointed out, unlike Turkey, which has solid state structures, Syria is already suffering from the effects of a civil war, making it very difficult to deliver humanitarian aid on time and manage it centrally. crisis.

Of the affected Syrian areas, some are under government control (Aleppo, Hama), others are under the control of jihadist rebels (Idlib), and still others are under the control of Kurds or their Turkish-backed opponents.

By yesterday, the Damascus government had announced 812 deaths in its territories, while the White Helmets humanitarian organization reported at least 900 deaths in the remaining territories. The government of President Assad, which is not recognized by the West, turned to the UN and the International Red Cross for help, while the Syrian Red Crescent guaranteed the distribution of aid to both government-controlled and rebel-held areas without discrimination.

International solidarity from 70 countries

The catastrophe caused by the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria caused a worldwide sensation, as a result of which rescuers and humanitarian aid arrived in the affected areas from dozens of countries from all over the world. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that 70 countries have offered assistance, primarily Western countries such as the EU. and USA. The representative of the European Commission said that the EU, through the European Civil Protection Mechanism, has mobilized more than 30 search and rescue teams, as well as medical personnel from 21 European countries, including Albania and Montenegro. In total, more than 1,200 rescuers and 70 specially trained dogs were provided from European countries.

Sweden, despite strained relations with Ankara of late, has announced a donation of about $650,000 to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent for Turkey and Syria. Nicosia offered to help send a rescue team, but Ankara refused.

Yesterday, Germany announced that it would send a search and rescue team of 50 rescuers to Adana. At the same time, the Turkish and Kurdish communities in Germany took the initiative to donate to earthquake victims in Turkey and northwest Syria by sending money, warm clothes and blankets.

From France, 139 civil protection service rescuers are expected in Turkey, who will probably be deployed in Kahramanmaras, the epicenter of the first earthquake, as well as in a field hospital.

Italy, Hungary, Poland and Spain have also provided rescue teams to Turkey, with the latter also sending drones to Malatya, where an international aid coordination center is located. For its part, the White House announced the dispatch of two rescue teams of 79 people after President Joe Biden said he asked the departments to “provide all necessary assistance” to Turkey. Even warring Ukraine and Russia have offered to lend a helping hand, with the former president Volodymyr Zelensky saying that his country, despite the war with Russia, is “ready to provide the necessary assistance” to Turkey. For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the dispatch of “rescuers” to Turkey and Syria. In the latter, 300 Russian soldiers stationed there have already begun to help clear the rubble. The German Foreign Ministry asked Moscow to put pressure on Damascus to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to the country without creating additional obstacles. “All international actors, including Russia, must exert their influence on the Syrian regime in order to ensure the arrival of assistance to the victims,” said Analena Bourbock during a press conference with her Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirsoyan in Berlin. Due to the civil war, Germany has no diplomatic relations with Syria and aid is channeled through international non-governmental organizations.