Hatay Airport reopened as runway repaired

HATAY

Hatay Airport, which is of vital importance in terms of aid flow and the transportation of earthquake victims as the province is one of the most affected by the devastating quakes, has been reopened after the repair of its runway.

A plane landed on the runway late on Feb. 12 without any problems. Departing empty from Istanbul, it was planned to return with earthquake victims as they will transferred to the hospitals to receive medical treatment.

Some of the closed areas in the terminal are allocated to rescue teams, while the airport also harbors fire trucks and special heavy-duty machines.

A few planes and helicopters, which were there before the earthquake, are still standing on the runways as the military and civilian helicopters used in relief efforts are refueled there.

There was no serious damage at the entrance and in the passenger lounges of the airport, which is covered with the silence of void.

Passenger benches, administration offices, turnstiles and other devices were not damaged as there was no collapse in the building.

However, the concrete blocks at the point where the runways meet the ground structure have slipped. There were separations at joint points of the ground and the steel sections, where repairs were conducted.

A hospital was also destroyed in the province, while many people are still waiting under the rubble as dozens of buildings collapsed and roads cracked.