Error occured during this request! Please try again later.
Syrian refugees in Turkey’s Malatya warm up by a bonfire following the destructive earthquake on February 8, 2023. Photo: Rudaw
MALATYA, Turkey - Syrian refugees in Turkey's Malatya spoke to Rudaw on Wednesday, decrying the lack of services as they spend their nights inside tents in the freezing cold following the disastrous earthquake that ripped through Turkey two days prior.
A catastrophic 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey on Monday dawn, with its epicenter in the city of Kahramanmaras. At least 17,134 people have been killed and 70,347 injured in Turkey, with hundreds still trapped under the rubble.
“They gave us tents on the first day of the earthquake, at night. But it is like being in the outdoors. There is nothing. It is just a drape protecting you from the wind. There is no electricity, heating, nor blankets,” Ahmed Yousif, a Syrian refugee from Aleppo who has been residing in Malatya for the last seven years, told Rudaw on Wednesday.
The tremor’s devastating impact also struck neighboring Syria, where more than 3,377 people have been killed.
In addition to the lack of services, the refugees also lament the uncertainty surrounding their loved ones' fates, as tens of thousands remain trapped beneath the rubble, both in Turkey and Syria.
Yousif Hamido, a Syrian refugee from Azaz who has been residing in Malatya for the nearly ten years, has a cousin entrapped under the ruins, and is yet to receive any news from his family back in his hometown, which has been heavily impacted by the earthquake.
“I want to go to Azaz, but there are no roads. I have 3 children and my wife in Azaz. Azaz has completely collapsed, but I still have no news from them. I don't know if they're alive or dead. All the roads are closed,” he said.
As time continues to pass and more bodies are uncovered from the rubble than survivors, hope is dwindling for rescuing survivors of the earthquake in Syria and Turkey amid bitterly cold temperatures.
Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) said they have over 120,000 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.
Comments
Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.
To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.
We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.
Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.
Post a comment