After another earthquake strikes Turkey and Syria, stunned locals must deal with fresh trauma:
Following Monday’s 6.3 magnitude earthquake that hit the same region ravaged by earthquakes two weeks ago that killed roughly 45,000 people and wrecked thousands of buildings, stunned and struggling citizens of Turkey and Syria are confronting new anguish and challenges.
According to Turkey’s emergency management organisation, 300 individuals were hurt on Monday, 18 of them gravely. Pro-government media agencies reported that a lady and a girl died in the Syrian provinces of Hama and Tartus, and there were rumours of others jumping from buildings to get away.
A new wave of refugees were forced into the chilly streets of Aleppo and Latakia by the earthquake that struck on Monday, which also destroyed structures that had withstood the preceding quakes.The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ Jani Savolainen, who is headquartered in Damascus, told USA TODAY that the greatest damage that the earthquake and all of its aftershocks are currently causing is not yet apparent. In addition to triggering new traumas due to the loss of family members, houses, and possessions, the earthquake brought back memories of the war.
NEW QUAKE ROCKES TURKEY: Temblors killed more than 41,000 people 2 weeks earlier.
Further developments
In the period between the quakes two weeks ago and the tremors on Monday, authorities had logged more than 6,000 aftershocks.
The Syrian American Medical Society reported treating several patients, among them a 7-year-old boy, who experienced heart attacks as a result of terror after the most recent earthquakes.People in Turkey’s homes are trapped by recent earthquakes.
The village of Defne in Turkey’s Hatay region served as the epicentre of the earthquake that occurred on Monday at 8:04 p.m. The quakes on February 6 were particularly severe in Hatay, which borders Syria and the Mediterranean Sea.
After the earthquake on Monday, there were numerous aftershocks and a second earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8. Parts of Jordan, Cyprus, Israel, Lebanon, and Egypt were also shaken by the earthquakes.
Inspections for damage were being conducted in Hatay, according to Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay. He asked locals to stay away from damaged structures and pay close attention to the rescue crews’ instructions.
According to Hatay Mayor Lutfu Savas, some structures felt…had either returned to their homes or were trying to move furniture from damaged homes. The previous quakes had killed more than 21,000 people in his province, he said, adding that 80% of homes and businesses needed to be rebuilt or fortified
Adana, Alejandro Malaver said people left homes for the streets, carrying blankets into their cars. Malaver said everyone was scared and “no one wants to get back into their houses.”
Buildings collapse in Syria
In Syria’s rebel-controlled northwest, almost 200 people were injured, mostly with cases of broken bones and bruises, according to the White Helmets, the local civil defense organization. Several flimsy buildings collapsed in Syria, but there apparently were no cases in which people were stuck under the rubble, the White Helmets said.
The White Helmets stated that its crews were “working nonstop to clear rubble & debris, secure damaged buildings, open roads, and collect civilians’ property.” “We are still committed to assisting in the recovery of people impacted by this catastrophe.”
new concerns for the traumatised survivors
The new earthquake not only increased physical damage but also exposed new anxieties for survivors. According to humanitarian organisations, life has been difficult since the quakes on February 6, with survivors surrounded by bodies, below-freezing temperatures, a lack of running water, and inadequate hygiene. The earthquakes are the most recent source of stress brought on by more than ten years of war, however, for many people, particularly Syrians.
“We were already hearing reports of acute trauma in children – this is likely to only get worse after last night,” Kathryn Achilles, a spokesperson for Save the Children Syria said in a statement. “We heard reports of people who were so afraid that they were jumping off balconies to escape buildings.”
A different rescue group, the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations-USA, reported Monday that at least eight people were hurt jumping from buildings in Salqin, a northwest area of Syria.People’s traumatization is highlighted by the fact that they were jumping off buildings out of fear, especially Syrian youngsters who have spent their entire lives seeing violence and tragedy.
“Being and acting like a child is a privilege for many kids in Syria. They must accept responsibility for looking after their families, for their own safety, even for supporting their parents financially “said Savolainen, a representative of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies stationed in Damascus. When compared to the daily hardship of not having enough food, fuel, warmth, or a place to live, “all this mental health load comes to the top.”
