“The picture is indescribable, unprecedented, unique from a historical point of view,” the head of the Greek mission in Turkey tells K. Efthymyos Lekkas.

“At the rescue level, the challenges are enormous. We operate in unbearably cold conditions with constant tremors,” adds OASP President and Professor of Natural Crisis Management.

Greek team first to arrive in Turkey after devastating earthquake 7.8 Richter and immediately assumed an operational role. OUR Hataya city of 200,000 people, according to Mr. Lekki, saw him 1/5 of its area is subject to complete demolition.

Nevertheless, in this “belligerent” – as he characterizes it – scene Greek EMAK managed to save four people from the ruins. The Turkish media, by the way, are especially supportive of the work of the Greek rescuers. The second EMAK team from Thessaloniki is heading to Turkey.

Mr. Lekkas notes that “no matter how many rescue teams came here, we would not have achieved even 5% of the satisfaction of needs – the front on which catastrophe is hugeyou can’t watch it.”

It is noted that, in general, no less 8700 people According to the latest reports from the Turkish state broadcaster TRT, they were pulled alive from the rubble in Turkey.

At least they try 96,000 rescuers.

Superhuman Effort and Countdown

During the short break that Mr. Lekkas took after 24 hours of non-stop work to free people from the rubble, he talks about chaosas it happens every time after a very strong earthquake.

“But imagine that in this case, multiple chaos reigns,” he emphasizes and continues: “Despite all this, the Greek team works non-stop, 24 hours a day, alternating in two shifts.”

According to him, when the night falls, the situation becomes wormwood. “It takes courage to work in this area,” he notes, adding that the Greek mission is in tents along with other groups operating in the earthquake-affected areas at the “Crisis Center” set up by the UN. in Hatay.

Unfortunately, according to Mr. Lekki, time is already running backwards: “When 72 hours have passed since the earthquake, rescue efforts will drop sharply on Thursday morning. Hope is fading.”

But he also emphasizes the following: “All four people that we managed to pick out alive from the rubble are something that goes beyond logic. The efforts that we make, and which, of course, all rescuers make, are superhuman. But we did it. Unfortunately, we have withdrawn and at least 20 dead“.

As for the most difficult moment in terms of management, Mr. Lekkas says rescuers experience it “when we retrieve dead children, as we did last night. People are in despair, and this word is too small to convey the whole drama.“.

What happens when the rescue work stops?

The President of the UARR emphasizes that as the operational part of the rescue operation “disappears”, it will be revealed in all its scale, unprecedented humanitarian crisis caused by the earthquake.

“The burden must fall on the wounded and on the primary needs,” he notes, stressing that, unfortunately, there are very few funds to meet these needs.

Asked how long it would take to rebuild earthquake-hit areas, he said it would take 18 to 20 years old. He still expresses his opinion how important are already launched geopolitical processes and change, both nationally and internationally.

As for how long the Greek mission will stay in quake-hit Turkey, he replies, “We can handle it for now. Definitely by Saturday.

He also notes that he will try to switch to Syriawhere, he says, the situation is even more dramatic due to the fact that it is a war zone, which makes it extremely difficult to enter the country.

Finally, about his own feelings about everything he encounters, he admits that they are “very strong, but remain in the background” while he concentrates completely on the scientific and operational part of the mission.