Emirates News Agency – Emirates Publishing: Huge tragedy of Turkey-Syria earthquake

ABU DHABI, 12th February, 2023 (WAM) — The earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria earlier this week, killing more than 24,000 and leaving thousands homeless, revealed not only the magnitude of the quake, but it also showed Other issues, a local newspaper commented.

“The mountain of rubble piled up by the deadly earthquake has become the biggest obstacle to rescue efforts. More people appear to be dying because rescuers can’t reach them in time,” Gulf Today said in a recent editorial.

There seemed to be life and hope amid the utter devastation as rescuers continued their search for survivors, miraculously finding still gasping babies and their mothers beneath the rubble.

What seems to be slowing down rescue and relief efforts is severe weather that has plunged winter temperatures and left thousands of survivors stranded with nowhere to live. It does take a long time for the rebuilding of the city and the restoration of the people. It is clear that humanitarian assistance to survivors must continue for many more months.

There are no easy solutions to rebuilding towns in southeastern Turkey and northwestern Syria. The paper went on to say that, in addition to huge sums of money, cooperation between the government, international agencies and the stranded population will be required.

Earthquakes can move people to safe shelters after warning, unlike cyclones in tropical countries and snowstorms in temperate climates, which can strike without warning. What can be done is to plan urban habitats so that there are not too many high-rise buildings, and the building materials of the houses are easier to clean, while maintaining enough open public spaces, the Abu Dhabi Daily concluded.