Avalanches kill at least 38 in Turkey’s eastern Van province
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – At least 33 rescue workers were killed on Wednesday when a second avalanche struck Turkey’s eastern province of Van. They were searching for two people who went missing following an earlier avalanche on Tuesday which killed at least five people.
A minibus was travelling on the Van-Bahcesaray highway on Tuesday when it was struck by a strong avalanche. Five passengers were confirmed killed and another two are still unaccounted for.
Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) and National Medical Rescue Team (UMKE) sent rescuers to the incident area. At least 33 of them were killed when a second avalanche struck the following day, according to Turkish state media outlet Anadolu (AA).
Mehmet Emin Bilmez, the governor of Van, told Turkish media the rescue team included civilians, gendarmes, village guards, and fire fighters.
The Kurdish-majority Bahcesaray district of Van is surrounded by tall mountains covered in dense winter snow.
Turkey’s east is still reeling from a 6.8 magnitude earthquake which struck the Kurdish-populated Elazig province in January, killing at least 40.
Turkish authorities have deployed more rescue teams to search for avalanche survivors and to recover the bodies.
Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu visited the area earlier on Wednesday. He said at least 30 people have been rescued.
A minibus was travelling on the Van-Bahcesaray highway on Tuesday when it was struck by a strong avalanche. Five passengers were confirmed killed and another two are still unaccounted for.
Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) and National Medical Rescue Team (UMKE) sent rescuers to the incident area. At least 33 of them were killed when a second avalanche struck the following day, according to Turkish state media outlet Anadolu (AA).
Mehmet Emin Bilmez, the governor of Van, told Turkish media the rescue team included civilians, gendarmes, village guards, and fire fighters.
The Kurdish-majority Bahcesaray district of Van is surrounded by tall mountains covered in dense winter snow.
Turkey’s east is still reeling from a 6.8 magnitude earthquake which struck the Kurdish-populated Elazig province in January, killing at least 40.
Turkish authorities have deployed more rescue teams to search for avalanche survivors and to recover the bodies.
Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu visited the area earlier on Wednesday. He said at least 30 people have been rescued.