A 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria on the 6th (local time) killed thousands of people, and news continues that survivors who were crushed under the rubble of collapsed buildings or isolated in their homes have been safely rescued.
The Syrian militia, dubbed the ‘White Helmets’, posted a video of them saving children on their official Twitter account on the 7th. In the video, militiamen witnessed the boy’s feet crushed under the rubble of a building collapsed in the earthquake, and began rescue operations. Crews cut the steel bars obstructing the rescue and pulled the boy out of the rubble. The boy received first aid and was transported to the hospital for treatment.
The crew also uploaded a video of rescuing a woman trapped in rubble and a family trapped on the third floor. In the video, the crew continued the rescue operation using equipment such as ladders even in bad weather with raindrops falling. White Helmets said that search and rescue efforts had been going on for more than 29 hours.
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white helmet tweeterAt least 4,940 people have died as of this time, according to CNN. Search and rescue operations are still ongoing, and aftershocks have occurred more than 100 times since the earthquake, so the death toll is likely to rise further.
According to the New York Times (NYT), the force of a magnitude 7.8 earthquake is equivalent to 500 Mt (megatons) of TNT. That’s equivalent to 32 atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima, Japan during World War II.
The British BBC analyzed that not only the size of the earthquake, but also the depth of the epicenter and the time of occurrence increased the damage. The BBC’s analysis is that the epicenter was located in a relatively shallow place, causing more serious damage to buildings lined up on the ground.
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white helmet tweeterThe international community is also helping to rescue survivors. The South Korean government has decided to dispatch the Korea Emergency Relief Team (KDRT) of 110 to Turkey. In addition, the government decided to provide 5 million dollars in the first round and consider additional support depending on local circumstances.
President Seok-Yeol Yoon said, “I am ready to help Turkiye, a bloody brother during the Korean War, in any way. I express my deepest condolences to those who lost loved ones.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.