Country mobilized to aid quake-affected zone

ISTANBUL

Extensive aid mobilization has started immediately across the country after two powerful 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes tragically rocked southern Türkiye, with search and rescue teams, as well as aid materials such as clothing and blankets, being sent to quake-affected zones.

Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), Red Crescent and non-governmental organizations in many provinces made a call for collecting the necessary assistance to the centers they announced in each province.

General manager Orhan Tatar announced that more than 24,400 AFAD personnel continued their work in the region after the earthquake, stating that approximately 300,000 blankets and 41,000 tents were delivered to the region.

He also stressed that these numbers have increased with volunteers and collected aid.

Municipalities across the country also called on their residents to collect for vital necessities such as winter clothing supplies, blankets, heaters and diapers to be sent to the earthquake zone.

Blankets, kitchen kits, heaters and tents in the warehouses of Ankara Red Crescent campus are loaded on trucks and dispatched to the region.

A large number of aid materials were delivered to a center of the Istanbul Municipality in the Yenikapı district.

The materials collected at the center, which is open 24 hours a day and accepts aid, have been transported to the earthquake zones by trucks.

From Edirne to Samsun, AFAD, Red Crescent, municipalities and non-governmental organizations collected large amounts of aid in a short time.

While a large number of collected aid sets out to be delivered to the earthquake victims, financial supports have also started to be collected as a result of donations made by many organizations.

Debris removal equipment dispatched

In addition to clothing and hygiene supplies, many metropolitan municipalities, including Istanbul, Ankara and Bursa, also sent trucks of water, food and bread from establishments that produce within their body.

Municipalities, governor’s offices and other organizations also sent search and rescue teams and vehicles to the region.

The northwestern province of Bursa and the southeastern province of Mardin, which is relatively close to the quake zones, were among the provinces that sent debris removal equipment and other necessary vehicles to the region.

The governor’s office of the southwestern province of Muğla also announced that it dispatched mobile base stations, many tow trucks, ambulances and mobile toilet vehicles to the area.

Volunteers create density in airport

Search and rescue teams and AFAD volunteers from various cities, especially in Istanbul, moved to the earthquake zone.

Aiming to participate in the search and rescue efforts in the earthquake area, thousands of volunteers flocked to Istanbul Airport and created a huge density.

While volunteers formed long queues at the terminal, the priority was given to professional teams and health personnel.

Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya announced that 6,718 personnel and AFAD volunteers were dispatched to the region by 41 planes from Istanbul as of 12:30 a.m. on Feb. 6.

Ankara Governor’s Office also stated that a large number of search and rescue teams, health and security personnel, trucks, fire appliances, ambulances and other emergency vehicles were dispatched to the regions.

Red Crescent, which has established a crisis management center in Ankara’s Etimesgut district, has carried out action plans for possible tasks and emergency calls that may come from AFAD’s coordination centers.

As the organization also called for blood donations to be immediately used in the case of emergency, numerous citizens formed long lines to donate blood in front of Red Crescent’s centers in their provinces.

The dispatch of aid volunteers to the earthquake zone continues uninterruptedly with the support of several airlines.

Turkish Airlines also stated that it carried a total of 11,780 volunteers with 80 flights.

In addition to airline companies, many road transport companies mobilized to transport aid materials and volunteers to quake-affected areas.

Places with large areas such as indoor sports facilities in the quake zone and nearby areas have been opened to earthquake victims, while many accommodation companies also announced that earthquake victims can stay in their hotels and hostels for free.