Nearly two weeks after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake caused catastrophic destruction and displacement across Turkey and Syria, many are still struggling to meet basic needs and are seeking shelter in tents, factories, train cars, and greenhouses. People in the disaster zone have described a wide range of conditions, from having access to hot showers to fearing freezing to death. The Turkish government and aid organizations have launched a massive relief effort, including the deployment of over 5,400 shipping containers as shelters and the distribution of over 200,000 tents.
In the mountain villages of Kahramanmaras province, locals are battling cold temperatures during the night. Buyuknacar, a village near the epicenter of the quake, was severely damaged, with 158 killed. Two days after the initial tremor, a military helicopter brought supplies and the road was cleared on the fifth day. Although the villagers have tents, they are too flimsy to keep out the cold, and people fear freezing to death.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said 2.2 million people had left the disaster zone, with the housing needs of 1.6 million fulfilled. This includes 890,000 people placed in public facilities, such as student dormitories, and 50,000 in hotels. The Transport Ministry also reported that the government had helped more than 272,000 evacuate by air, sea, and rail. However, many people choose to remain close to their homes, either to protect their possessions, wait for missing relatives, or care for livestock.
Those seeking protection from winter temperatures have resorted to any structure that will keep out the elements. Near the Mediterranean coast in Hatay, one of the hardest-hit provinces, farmers in Samandag district have fled their damaged homes to large greenhouses normally used for growing tomatoes, bringing with them whatever bedding and cooking utensils they could salvage. Locals said around 2,000 people were now living under the plastic covers, many having lost not just their homes but also their livestock.
The Yuksel family found refuge in a metal factory, where they have been provided with necessities including clothing and household items. They are living in a trailer at the factory near the port city of Iskenderun. At Iskenderun’s rail station, families are sheltering in train carriages and are being provided with three meals a day by the military.
Qatar is sending shelters used to house soccer fans during last year’s World Cup, and many other nations have also sent tents and containers. In the provincial capital of Kahramanmaras, residents have complained of difficulties finding a place to stay. Father-of-three Haci Kose was eventually allocated a tent by an Azerbaijani aid agency, but still has problems getting enough to eat or finding a place to relieve himself. He said, “I wish we were stuck under the rubble too so we didn’t have to live in this situation. The aid isn’t coming to the people in the tents.”
More than two weeks after the devastating earthquake, many are still struggling to fulfill their basic needs and are seeking shelter in tents, factories, train cars, and greenhouses. The Turkish government and aid organizations have responded with a massive relief effort, including the deployment of over 5,400 shipping containers as shelters and the distribution of over 200,000 tents. People in the disaster zone have described a wide range of conditions, from having access to hot showers to fearing freezing to death.
In the mountain villages of Kahramanmaras province, locals are battling cold temperatures during the night. Buyuknacar, a village near the epicenter of the quake, was severely damaged, with 158 killed. Two days after the initial tremor, a military helicopter brought supplies and the road was cleared on the fifth day. Although the villagers have tents, they are too flimsy to keep out the cold, and people fear freezing to death.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said 2.2 million people had left the disaster zone, with the housing needs of 1.6 million fulfilled. This includes 890,000 people placed in public facilities, such as student dormitories, and 50,000 in hotels. The Transport Ministry also reported that the government had helped more than 272,000 evacuate by air, sea, and rail. However, many people choose to remain close to their homes, either to protect their possessions, wait for missing relatives, or care for livestock.
Those seeking protection from winter temperatures have resorted to any structure that will keep out the elements. Near the Mediterranean coast in Hatay, one of the hardest-hit provinces, farmers in Samandag district have fled their damaged homes to large greenhouses normally used for growing tomatoes, bringing with them whatever bedding and cooking utensils they could salvage. Locals said around 2,000 people were now living under the plastic covers, many having lost not just their homes but also their livestock.
The Yuksel family found refuge in a metal factory, where they have been provided with necessities including clothing and household items. They are living in a trailer at the factory near the port city of Iskenderun. At Iskenderun’s rail station, families are sheltering in train carriages and are being provided with three meals a day by the military. Qatar is sending shelters used to house soccer fans during last year’s World Cup, and many other nations have also sent tents and containers.
In the provincial capital of Kahramanmaras, residents have complained of difficulties finding a place to stay. Father-of-three Haci Kose was eventually allocated a tent by an Azerbaijani aid agency, but still has problems getting enough to eat or finding a place to relieve himself. He said, “I wish we were stuck under the rubble too so we didn’t have to live in this situation. The aid isn’t coming to the people in the tents.”