Turkey earthquake: Survivor found after 100 hours

  • 10-27-2011

A man has been pulled alive from the rubble of a building in south-eastern Turkey, more than 100 hours after an earthquake devastated his town.

He was rescued from the flattened block of flats in Ercis. He is in hospital, and said to be in good condition.

The number of people known to have died in the 7.2-magnitude quake has risen to 523. So far 185 people have been rescued but hundreds are still missing.

Rain and snow have been hindering the rescue and relief effort.

Rescuers in some places are continuing to dig through the debris, but at other sites they have stopped work and attention is turning to the needs of the survivors.

More than 1,600 people were injured in the quake, which had its epicentre in Van province.

Waiting

Tents and other aid supplies are being delivered after some initial criticism that the response was too slow.

People in Ercis, the hardest-hit town, have formed long queues to try to get hold of tents but many have been told there are none left.

"Everyone is getting sick and wet," said Fetih Zengin, 38, whose house was badly damaged.

"We have been waiting in line for four days and still nothing," he told Reuters news agency.

Another survivor, Zeki Yatkin, lost his father in the quake.

"They say we will get prefabricated houses in one-and-a-half months," he said, in an interview with Reuters.

"We can't tolerate the cold, but what else can we do?"

South-eastern Turkey was hit by another strong aftershock on Thursday of magnitude 5.2, but there are no reports of any further casualties.

The Turkish government had initially said it did not need any help from abroad, but later changed its mind.

Ankara accepted an offer of clothes, blankets and other supplies from Israel, despite the recent deterioration in their relationship.

Reports say prefabricated homes from Israel are currently on their way to Van province.

"Three more planes loaded with aid supplies will come to Turkey within two days," an official from the Israeli embassy in Ankara told the Anatolia news agency.

Aid from several other countries is starting to arrive in Turkey too.

The United Nations says it is sending thousands of tents as well as blankets and mattresses.

Read More...........
Reproduced under licence from BBC News © 2011 BBC


Email to Friend

Fill in the form below to send this news item to a friend:

Email to Friend
* Your Name:
* Your Email:
* Friend's Name:
* Friend's Email:
* Security Image:
Security Image Generate new
Copy the numbers and letters from the security image
* Message: