Criticism grows Turkey in terms of killer management earthquakemoreover, the opposition, as well as residents of the affected areas, accuse the authorities of a slow and inadequate response to the tragedy.

The feeling of anger was even more pronounced when the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoganwho will face an election challenge in three months, visited the quake-affected areas and acknowledged that there were some problems with the government’s initial response.

Criticism from victims and opposition

Earthquakes on Monday killed more than 11,000 people in southern Turkey and northwestern Syria. In addition, infrastructure was destroyed and thousands of buildings were leveled to the ground, leaving many people homeless due to severe weather conditions.

“Where is the state? Where has he been for two days? Please them. Let’s do this, we can get them (trapped) out,” said Sabiya Alinak from Malatya near the snow-covered rubble of the house where her relatives were trapped.

From the beginning, many Turks complained about the lack of equipment and support as they waited helplessly near the ruined buildings, lacking the necessary experience or tools to rescue those who were trapped, even as they heard their cries for help.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition, said earlier this week that the disaster meant it was time for unity, not criticism. However, on Wednesday he accused the government of refusing to cooperate with local authorities, as well as undermining the activities of non-governmental organizations that could help.

“I refuse to treat what is happening as something outside of politics and join the ruling party. This crash is the result of a systematic profit-making policy,” he said.

“If there is anyone who is responsible for this situation, it is Erdogan. It was the ruling party that left the country unprepared for earthquakes for 20 years.”

Rescuers are struggling to reach some of the hardest hit areas due to damaged roads, bad weather, a lack of resources and efficient equipment, and some places have run out of fuel and electricity.

Military response

Nasu Mahruki, founder of a search and rescue team that also took part in the 1999 earthquake, said the military did not respond quickly enough because Erdogan’s government canceled a protocol that allowed him to intervene without being ordered.

“When this was lifted, their duties and responsibilities regarding disaster management were removed,” he told Reuters.

“From the first seconds (after the 1999 earthquake), the Turkish armed forces began to operate and within a few hours were on the spot (catastrophes),” he said, highlighting the contrast with what happened in the event of Monday’s earthquake. like an army, he had to wait for instructions before mobilizing.

“Now it seems that the responsibility lies with the AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Agency), but it is not ready for a catastrophe of such gigantic proportions,” Mahruki added.

“The time has come for unity, solidarity. During such a period, I cannot deal with people who carry out negative campaigns for political interests,” Erdogan said upon his arrival in the southern province of Hatay.

In addition, speaking in Kahramanmaras, near the epicenter of the earthquake, Erdogan stressed the following: “We had some problems on the roads and at airports, but today we are better.”

The Turkish President did not appear to be talking to the locals.

After the earthquake, faced with cold and hunger

A government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said disaster relief efforts are being hampered by damaged roads, bad weather and the closure of some airports. “It seems we should have been better prepared,” he said.

In the southern city of Antakya, which is one of the hardest hit areas, Melek, 64, said she had not seen rescuers at the scene until Tuesday. “We have not seen food handed out here, unlike previous natural disasters in our country. We survived the earthquake, but we will all die of cold and hunger.”

Selim Temurchi, a spokesman for the opposition Future Party, said AFAD’s efforts were insufficient due to lack of personnel and the magnitude of the disaster.

“They were unable to carry out search and rescue operations in all buildings at once, and reached some areas only after 30 hours,” he said, adding that those rescued were left without food and water.

^{Source: Reuters.}