Two More Earthquakes Have Hit Türkiye
On February 6, a massive magnitude 7.8 earthquake changed the fabric of both Türkiye and Syria. Buildings collapsed, landslides went off. Because of this natural disaster, over 46,000 people in these countries have died.
However, things have somehow become even worse for Türkiye. On February 21, 4.04am AEST, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake hit its southern province of Hatay. This was followed by a magnitude 5.8 earthquake.
“I thought the earth was going to split open under my feet,” said Muna Al Omar, a Hatay resident holding her seven-year-old son. “Is there going to be another aftershock?”
It’s worth noting that Hatay was hit by February 6’s earthquake and was already struggling to get by. Many of its residents, like Omar, have been forced into tents in parks, due to the destruction of infrastructure and too many freezing nights.
As of February 21, we don’t know the extent of Türkiye’s damage. We’ll keep you posted once we have some more info.
Earthquake Survivors Hit With Food Price Hikes
Meanwhile, in Syria, the situation isn’t any better. Food prices in the north-west of the country have spiked due to a shortage of items like wheat and flour. This has left those devastated by February 6’s earthquake with not enough food to eat.
These challenges have led to the organisations like ActionAid and Violet calling for humanitarian assistance in this area.
“Prices of commodities like food have increased by 20 to 40%. Temporary shelter items have increased by 60% due to the high reliance on these items as a result of recent displacements,” said Alaa, Violet’s Local Field Coordinator in north-west Syria.
“For this reason, it’s a priority to focus on rebuilding livelihoods which will support recovery efforts of vulnerable people.”
Related: Untangling the Grim New Zealand Earthquake
Related: Earthquake in Türkiye and Syria — Here’s What You Can Do to Help
The Couple That Survived 12 Days Under Rubble
In both Türkiye and Syria, rescue efforts continue to try and save the people who were attacked by February 6’s earthquake. For instance, in Istanbul, a couple and their son have been saved from the rubble of a building. These individuals were trapped there for over 12 days.
Ragda Muhammed Accar, Samir Muhammad, and their 12-year-old boy were all taken to hospital. However, it’s not all good news. This is because two of Ragda and Samir’s kids died in the quake.
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