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Rescue teams scramble to uncover survivors from a collapsed building in Malatya on February 8, 2023. Photo: Rudaw
MALATYA, Turkey - Hope is dwindling in the city of Malatya to rescue hundreds of people stuck under the rubble of ruined buildings as the aftermath of Monday’s massive earthquake in Turkey and Syria continues to unveil with dire conditions and sub-zero temperatures.
Malatya is one of the cities rattled by the devastating 7.8-magnitude tremor that had its epicenter in the city of Kahramanmaras on Monday morning, and the search for survivors in the city continues despite slow progress and freezing temperatures.
“Around 40 people are stuck under this building, and if you go a few hundred meters into town, you will see more and more collapsed buildings,” Rudaw’s Roj Eli Zalla said in front of a collapsed building in the city, citing rescue teams as saying that hope continues to dwindle to uncover survivors.
Ten provinces in Turkey were badly affected by the quake, stretching the resources and manpower of the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) thin as the rescue teams are spread out over a large geographical area.
Roads leading into quake-stricken Malatya have also been extensively damaged, blocking most vehicle transport from entering the city and making the arrival of vital aid difficult.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a three-month state of emergency in the ten affected provinces on Tuesday while allocating 100 billion Turkish liras ($5.3 billion) for the reconstruction of the cities.
At least 9,057 people have been killed in the aftermath of the quake in Turkey, Erdogan said on Wednesday from Hatay province, adding that over 52,979 people have been injured.
AFAD said they have over 96,000 personnel working on rescue missions across the country. However, residents of several cities have decried the lack of immediate response and aid from the relevant authorities.
The natural disaster has galvanized countries from around the world to come to the aid of the mourning countries, providing rescue teams, monetary support, as well as relief and medical supplies.
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