Turkey earthquakes: Activists are working around the clock

SHAH ALAM - Activists from around the world are working around the clock to help victims of the powerful earthquake that struck Kahramanmaras, Turkey.

According to a Turkish humanitarian activist Selin Ahmetoglu of the Global Woman Coalition, earthquake victims are now living in white tents provided by Turkey's Interior Disaster and Emergency Management Presidential Ministry.

"The disaster and the affected buildings are so large, it will take some time to rebuild. Many of the other victims travelled to other provinces to live temporarily," she told Sinar Daily.

On the other hand, Seline added that some of them were now living in government buildings, such as schools.

Despite the victims' evacuation, many activists are also working to remove the rubble, dirt and concrete.

"Balloons are hung by the activists on the rubble in the earthquake zones in memory of the children who died under the rubble in Hatay."

Seline also expressed her gratitude to Turkish Airlines for the free evacuation flights from the earthquake areas that will continue until March 1.

“Not to forget, I would like to say thank you so much to Sinar Daily readers for continually giving donations for earthquake victims under the Sinar Karangkraf relief fund in collaboration with Syria Care.

The death toll from the powerful Feb 6 earthquakes in southern Turkey has risen to 43,556, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said Wednesday.

Soylu made the remarks during a live broadcast with the TRT Haber TV channel in Hatay, one of the 11 provinces that were hit by the quakes.

"This is one of the biggest earthquakes in the world," reported Anadolu Agency quoting Soylu.

The minister said it required a certain period of time to respond when faced with 26,000 collapsed homes during the first hours, and the earthquakes hit an area covering 110,000 square kilometres (42,471 square miles).

"This is the size of three Netherlands," he added. The powerful tremors were centred in Kahramanmaras and shook 10 other provinces -- Hatay, Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Malatya, Adana, Diyarbakir, Kilis, Osmaniye, Sanliurfa and Elazig.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey will begin constructing more than 200,000 homes as early as March in areas devastated by the earthquakes and complete the process within one year.