A day after the United Nations urged the Syrian government to enable access to relief measures for the earthquake that hit citizens in the country, President Bashar al-Assad agreed to allow aid deliveries to reach northwest Syria through border crossings from Turkey.
Meanwhile, the death toll in Turkey exceeded 31, 000 and in Syria, it is beyond 5.700, according to official figures. More than 19, 000 survivors are undergoing treatment at temporary medical camps in Turkey. On Monday, in its penultimate rescue attempt, teams using thermal cameras and sniffer dogs to look for signs of life in the collapsed buildings, Reuters reported.
Here are the top updates from Turkey
The Indian army established a field hospital in the city of Iskenderun with a population of 250,000. The teams were equipped with X-ray machines, ventilators, an oxygen generation plant, cardiac monitors and associated equipment for establishing a 30 bedded medical facility. Doctors catering to patients here have revealed the patient profile is changing from injuries o being infected with infectious diseases, amid growing concerns about lack of hygiene.
The search for survivors of the earthquake in Syria and Turkey is entering its final hours. According to experts, the window for finding people trapped in the rubble has almost closed due to the time that has passed since the disaster and harsh winter conditions. The temperatures in the area have dipped to minus 6 degrees Celsius making rescue operations difficult and chances of survival lean.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday that the country will not allow a new influx of refugees from Syria after last week’s devastating earthquake. “We are facilitating humanitarian aid for Syrians, but we are not allowing a new Syrian refugee influx. These are two separate issues,” the Turkish minister said.
According to a report released by a business group, Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation, repairing the damage caused by the disaster could cost up to $84.1 billion. The report also noted that the disaster has affected the country’s national income by up to $10.4 billion.
The cost of the recovery efforts is expected to be focused on the rebuilding of houses, infrastructure, and shelters, as well as meeting the short and medium-term needs of the affected population.