Turkey quake: As we have reported, slippery runways and precipitation have caused further delays and cancellations of flights at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen airport.
Umay, a student at the University of Ghent in Belgium, and her cousin Melike, also a student there, are both waiting anxiously, but for opposite reasons. Umay’s aunt Melike is in critical condition in the intensive care unit after being rescued 22 hours after the Turkey quake. A steel door had shut on her. Unfortunately, her wounds are quite serious. All of the cousins’ ancestors hail from the southern Hatay region.
Thankfully, the rest of their loved ones are unharmed and have shelter, but many of their friends are not so fortunate. We have tried calling our neighbours, but they won’t pick up the phone. They raised a brood of three offspring. All we have are these photographs… She displays footage of children’s toys and books lying among the wreckage, covered in dust.
Melike, a trainee solicitor in Istanbul, is expecting to be able to tell her mother the happy news that she was granted her licence to practise law on Monday, the same day that two Turkey quake devastated the city.
FOLLOW: Aerial footage shows the devastating damage in Hatay
Drone footage taken in the southernmost province of Hatay, which borders Syria, is shocking.
Whole buildings have collapsed, and others are reduced to rubble. Parts of the wreckage are emitting smoke in the eerie stillness.
Despite concerns of rescuer equipment shortages, at least 872 people have perished in Hatay.
Expert in disaster relief thinks money should be sent instead of supplies.
An expert in disaster response has warned against giving victims more than they need.
According to BBC World News, Prof. Lucy Easthope said, “People would try and send the most useless materials to situations.”
When people are cleaning out their attics or basements, they often fill minibuses with their unwanted clothing and other belongings.
Money is the single most useful item right now. It’s not just the government that’s stepping in to help; NGOs, charities, and the private sector are all pitching in as well,” she said.
What they require is capital, and not only for the short term, but for the foreseeable future as well.
“I can’t impress on people enough, and I tweet about this a lot, how unhelpful unwanted donated products are,” she explained.
