ADANA – MISSION. A few hours after the earthquake, we tried to go to the areas affected by the earthquake. The airports of the cities of Gaziantep and Kahramanmaras were closed shortly after the fall of Enceladus. Hatay airport was permanently closed due to an accident on the runway, so we found the last seat on the flight to Adana in southeastern Turkey.

As soon as we boarded the plane, the atmosphere was heavy. Someone cried with excitement to hear the news from relatives and friends, someone had already learned the unpleasant news, and someone, overwhelmed with anxiety, was talking on the phone with friends until the plane took off.

Chaos reigned at the Adana airport. There were no taxis or other vehicles, and people were running. We walked down the street for a long time and found a taxi. When we asked the driver where all the cars were, he explained: “But most of them took their families from their homes and went to the fields. I will leave you and do the same in the evening.”

As we have heard from him and from his descriptions of the main quake of 7.8 on the Richter scale, as well as the aftershock of 7.6 on the Richter scale that followed at noon on Monday, the thought of staying in the car tonight begins seem more and more realistic and correct.

Hopes melt away

Many buildings collapsed in Adana, including a 17-story apartment building. Authorities have already announced at least 43 dead and hundreds injured in the city. When we arrived at the site of the collapse of several apartment buildings in Physikos Alsos near the city center, rescuers had already started to work, but the world was in despair. They have no complaints, at least here, from the authorities, they tell us, but they know that the hours they spend go against all their hopes.

The question is the damage done to many buildings, which needs to be checked. However, here in Adana they see what happened in other cities, especially in Kahramanmaras, which is also the epicenter of the earthquake, and many are wondering if something similar will happen.

Throughout the city, we hear sirens and see many vehicles of police, fire and rescue teams coordinated by the Turkish Disaster Response Center (AFAD). 76 feeding machines, 14 mobile kitchens, 4 mobile kitchens and 2 mobile ovens have already been sent to 10 earthquake-affected areas.

However, everyone admits that Turkey will need help from abroad in the matter of housing and food, as the population of the areas affected by the earthquake exceeds 10 million people.