Lack of hygiene products persists in quake zone

KAHRAMANMARAŞ

The lack of tents, portable toilets and showers and hygienic products continues to persist in the southern province of Kahramanmaraş, the epicenter of two deadly earthquakes, while those quake survivors who settled in tent cities away from the center are also facing a shortage of soap and water.

Although a large group of volunteers, state officials and non-governmental organizations are working hard to alleviate the challenging living conditions of earthquake survivors, some of the major problems remain unsolved since the first day.

The need for toilets, showers, hygiene products and general sanitation, and the risk of some health issues related to these problems are making the lives of people living in tent cities even harder.

Residents of the tent city in the Avşar Campus of Sütçü İmam University demand that their hygiene needs be met.

Sibel Bolat, who lives in a tent with her husband and two children, said the biggest issue is the lack of portable toilets.

“The sinks and toilets are very dirty. There are not even soaps,” Bolat said.

Her husband, Muzaffer Bolat, stated that they cannot use the portable toilets brought to the tent city as they still do not have water and drain connections and that people have to wait in lines for hours to take a shower in the indoor sports hall.

He also said that the same dishes are served every day, and there should be some kind of variety on the menu.

Another quake survivor, İsmet Arslan, said that they had been out in the open for 10 days and had only recently been able to find tents.