(VOVWORLD) - The international community has increased support for local forces in Turkey and Syria who are searching for survivors and aid for the millions of people whose lives were disrupted by devastating earthquakes on Monday.
 Rescue workers search for people trapped in the ruins in Antakya, Hatay province, Turkey on Feb 9, 2023. (photo: Xinhua/VNA) |
The 7.8-magnitude quake with its epicenter in southern Turkey ripped through many cities in Turkey and Syria, killing upwards of 21,000 people and injuring tens of thousands more and making millions homeless in freezing winter weather.
Heavy losses
Thousands of victims are believed to be trapped or buried in the rubble of collapsed buildings. The frigid winter weather in the affected areas is making rescue efforts more difficult and reducing the survival chances of people trapped in the ruins. The authorities anticipate that casualty numbers will continue to rise.
Millions of survivors are facing extremely difficult conditions: no warm place to stay and a desperate shortage of food and medicine.
Authorities say some 6,500 buildings in Turkey collapsed and some 13.5 million people were affected in an area spanning roughly 450 km from Adana in the west to Diyarbakir in the east. Turkey has declared a three-month state of emergency for 10 provinces.
The international rating agency Fitch said Thursday that the earthquake that devastated Turkey and Syria could cause economic losses of more than 4 billion USD. Some sources estimate it will take several years, even decades, for these two countries to overcome the catastrophic consequences.
International aid and rescue efforts accelerated
Countries, the UN, and other international organizations have stepped up rescue and aid efforts for Turkey and Syria.
The first UN aid convoy, made up of 6 trucks, crossed from Turkey into northwest Syria on Thursday.
Aircraft carrying aid from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Russia, Iran, and many other countries landed at airports controlled by the Syrian government in Damascus, Aleppo, and Latakia.
The World Bank is preparing to provide neraly 1.8 billion USD in aid to Turkey to help relief and recovery efforts. According to a World Bank press release, immediate assistance of 780 million USD will be delivered via Contingent Emergency Response Components from two existing projects in Turkey. Meanwhile, an additional 1 billion USD is being mobilized to support recovery from the disaster.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) said on Thursday that it will provide 85 million USD in humanitarian assistance to Turkey and Syria.
Germany will increase its humanitarian assistance to Syria by 26 million euros, and many other EU countries have announced new emergency aid packages for Turkey and Syria.
Several countries have sent emergency rescue teams. Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security deployed a team of 24 search and rescue personnel to Turkey.
Countries worldwide have set aside their differences to work together to save lives and help millions of people in Turkey and Syria recover from this disaster.