Hopes are fading amid the rescue and recovery workers in the aftermath of the horrific earthquake that hit southern Turkey and northern Syria. Reuters is providing an update on the devastation in the region. The scale of the impact is widespread and devastating as even more recovery workers continue arriving.
ANTAKYA, Turkey/JANDARIS, Syria, Feb 9, (Reuters) – Cold, hunger and despair gripped hundreds of thousands of people left homeless after the earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria three days ago as the death toll passed 20,000 on Thursday.
The rescue of a 2-year-old boy after 79 hours trapped in the rubble of a collapsed building in Hatay, Turkey, and several other people raised spirits among weary search crews. But hopes were fading that many more would be found alive in the ruins of towns and cities.
[…] Hundreds of thousands of people in both countries have been left homeless in the middle of winter. Many have camped out in makeshift shelters in supermarket car parks, mosques, roadsides or amid the ruins, often desperate for food, water and heat.
[…] Authorities say some 6,500 buildings in Turkey collapsed and countless more were damaged.
The death toll in Turkey rose to 17,406, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said. In Syria, already devastated by nearly 12 years of civil war, more than 3,300 people have died, according to the government and a rescue service in the rebel-held northwest.
In the devastated Syrian town of Jandaris, Ibrahim Khalil Menkaween walked in the rubble-strewn streets clutching a white body bag. He said he had lost seven members of his family, including his wife and two of his brothers.
“I’m holding this bag for when they bring out my brother, and my brother’s young son, and both of their wives, so we can pack them in bags,” he said. “The situation is very bad. And there is no aid.”
Turkish officials say some 13.5 million people were affected in an area spanning roughly 450 km (280 miles) from Adana in the west to Diyarbakir in the east. In Syria, people were killed as far south as Hama, 250 km from the epicentre.
Rescue crews looked for survivors at the site of a collapsed building in the dark in the city of Adiyaman with temperatures below freezing, Turkish broadcasters showed.
[…] There were still some signs of hope.
A 2-year-old boy was picked out of the rubble by a Romanian and Polish rescue team in Hatay 79 hours after the earthquake, video released by Turkey’s Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) on Thursday showed.
The boy, wearing a blue, white and black striped sweater, cried as he was gently lifted from the hole where he had been trapped. He was carried away on a blanket. No other details were immediately available.
Another video from IHH showed a helmeted and dust-streaked rescuer weeping with emotion after successfully freeing a little girl from the rubble of a collapsed building in Kahramanmaras. (read more)
All-powerful Father, as we see all of the destruction caused by this natural disaster, we mourn for all that has been lost and the fragility of this life.
Lord God of mercy, please comfort those who have lost somebody they love, and those who are yet still searching. Give them comfort and peace.
Heavenly Father, be a protective wing for those who have survived, but lost their home. Grant the men, women and children the needed fortitude and assistance they need to recover and rebuild. Show me how best to pray for their needs and guide my prayer.
Lord God of all creation, be strong with directed purpose for those whose job it is to search through the rubble for those lost. Give them endurance and strength as they complete their responsibilities.
God of comfort and mercy, help us come together as one body in You during this time of tragedy.
You are the redeemer, the source of all strength and courage, please provide us with reassurance, humanity and faith.
In Your holy and merciful name, we humbly kneel and pray.
~ Amen.
I understand that although Turkiye is a NATO member, the other members have done little thus far to help. But billions to Ukraine.
Don’t worry, as soon as they can set up a scheme to make money off it, they will start “helping”.
The Clinton’s to the rescue…just like in Haiti.
That was simply a very expensive photo op endeavor.
Enter the Clinton Global Initiative.
It’s for the children.
Sorry, Epstein’s dead so child prostitutes have fewer employment opportunities.
Russia and Belarus are sending lots of aid and manpower.
Because Russia has a heart…
But the billions to Ukraine are not to save Ukrainians, but to get more of them killed.
and 10% for the big guy.
Obviously they didn’t buy tanks with the billions, because now they’re screaming for tanks; the electric kind, you know. Shopping sprees for the first family? Oh yes, but no weaponry.
The real question is whether Russia pulls the trigger on a big winter assault now in Ukraine.
Since FJB announced Abrams tanks would arrive in 6 weeks, I guess Russia will get all it can before the tanks arrive.
The tanks and missiles will make no difference. Ukraine will fall. The Ukrainians have not been trained to either operate or maintain either the tanks or the missiles. There are also nowhere near enough of them being sent to make any difference on he battlefield. The Russians will simply destroy everything that is sent in. We have a sad bunch of idiots and amateurs in Washington DC.
And then there is the broader issue, tactical, something that only experience can instill .
If Western govenrments cared about the people of Ukraine, they would have brokered a peace deal by now. Obviously peace is the last thing they want. It turns out that Democrats actually love violence as long as it’s in the name of Democrats. They’re all lying hypocrites.
It is sickening to know we are paying for unnecessarily slaughter of fellow human beings, instigated for the advantage of psychopaths
I would expect increased activity around the 17th. Dark moon.
Russia is in Belarus and in Crimea, just look at a map and you will see what they may be planning. A pincer movement is my guess, from the south and simultaneously from the north, being able to hit the supply lines while hardware is in transit.
Apparently there is more to be gained in death than life. Lucifers way was ever thus.
I was just thinking that mention of US aid to Turkey is missing. I know the US is providing aid, but typically politicians, particularly the White House are busy announcing what aid is being sent.
I see a couple DOD news articles about US aid going, but not much else.
The installed White House puppet didn’t mention this tragedy even once while he muttered through his assigned talking points on Tuesday evening.
No he didn’t, and his media lapdogs have been strangely silent.
Typically they are out there transcribing whatever they are told to write so as to make whatever Democrat is doing something to make them look good.
They will check with Zelenskyy to see how much they are allowed to help before sending more money to him and his oligarchs.
i can’t find any coverage that the US is there on an search-rescue and aid mission. Why the silence from our government?
Lord have mercy. This is tough. Reminds me of the tsunami back then when, in a flash, over a quarter of a million people were wiped out just like that. Give God the glory for everyday that you are around.
That 250k number is still hard to comprehend.
Two and a half years of fentalyl deaths in Open Borders America.
This is tough and I do pray that the Lord shows mercy. The tsunami in Japan back in 2011 killed around 20,000, not a quarter-million. Unless you’re talking about a different tsunami. Regardless, those videos from 2011 were probably the most frightening thing I’ve ever seen. Definitely give God the glory every day.
Search “2004 tsunami”.
To KulturKampf and all who responded, clearly I’m in error. Completely forgot about this tragedy. The tsunami in Japan is burned in my memory even though it claimed a tenth of the humanity.
We all sin and make mistakes.
The tsunami of 2004 off of the country of Sumatra. I just watched a video on it the other day. Horrifying.
Indonesia.
Indian Ocean 2004 – http://itic.ioc-unesco.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=1136&Itemid=1373
There’s a very good movie about that tsunami, it’s called “The Impossible.”
Amen.
Amen!
So heartbreaking.
That’s a whole lot of people. About 2 months of fentalyl deaths in Biden’s Open Borders America.
Not to mention all the American deaths from the gang violence that comes with the open borders.
I don’t shed tears at most news but yesterday a video of a father (dead) covering his children (alive), pulled from the rubble of a downed bldg, hit me in a very profound way. Such sadness and yet a miracle born of love.
We are all His children and the sheep of his flock.🙏🏻
Amen
And when one sheep goes missing, the shepherd goes to find it…..
John 15:13
13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Amen. Amin🙏🏻
More than 13 million people in the affected area.
More than 6000 building collapsed, many of them apartment buildings.
Happened at 4:17 a.m. local time when everyone is still at home in bed.
Shallow and violent.
Many of the collapsed buildings just pancaked.
The death toll will get higher, I’m afraid. MUCH higher.
I’d be surprised if just Turkey is less than 100k. Syria will also have a fair number more.
Sad. Pray for them, and the survivors.
http://www.samaritanspurse.org
https://subspla.sh/3w4w5c5
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!
Spent time earlier today, trying to find a reputable charity that will use donations specifically for the earthquake relief effort. Gave up in disgust when I saw several top-rated charities asking for funds to UKRAINE, but absolutely nothing on their site about Turkey or Syria.
I couldn’t remember the charity to which you linked; hence my heartfelt thanks.
I read a tweet, forgot where, that GoFundMe canceled an earthquake recovery campaign because of sanctions on Syria.
The best thing we could do I think is drop our war aims there, but I fear they will be redoubled to take advantage of this tragedy.
God help Syria, because the U.S. will not help due to “sanctions.”
The aid will be allowed to trickle when it will come too late to help.
In the meanwhile, the U.S. will continue to steal oil from the occupied region of Syria.
What a sh*tbag regime we have in charge of our country.
You may find Israel will offer help, but it may be rejected, they always do!
I was looking to see in stories if dogs that sniff out people from Israel was accepted by either country, did not see it accepted or rejected. May have missed it. May the dying go quickly, Lord, end their suffering.
Pretty sure when George Bush said when people are hurting, we are there to help, it should include poor bastards in Syria.
Governments cause a great deal of pain in the world, it would be nice if the world helped victims of Gaia. She is a bitch.
You are welcome dear Treeper friend. ✝️
My prayer is that your resources will be of good use to the suffering in and around Turkey. That the gospel will go out alongside the aid. 🙏
Thanks for the post. I just donated.
🙌
Amen.
Amen..
Amen.
I hope Russia is there to help them. AID from America comes at a price.
Is there any aid from America? Last I read, BiteMe and his Obama aides were going to ponder their options.
Probably too busy coming up with lies for the SOTU.
BTW, to only lose 3 people per collapsed building is kinda amazing, even if the total number is so high. But don’t be surprised if it keeps climbing.
Originally, the wretched soulless Biden administration said it would not lift sanctions on Syria so that aid could get through.
Since I read that, I see they will give $85 million to help with the aftermath.
Compare to the billions given for the corrupt purposes of the poseur Zelenskyy and themselves.
Strings attached, as always.
I read two days ago Russia is helping. I wonder who else. I saw Samaritans Purse, but the magnitude of this is horrible. Anyone know others?
Russia sent rescue workers and humanitarian help immediately.
Saw China sent many people, too.
God help all those blessed souls.
Gut wrenching.
Meanwhile Turkey has a half million dollar bounty on American Enes Kanter Freedom
Horrific situation for many people. Hope they get the help they need. We all should count our blessings.
Amen!
I second the very well stated prayer.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2017&version=KJV
The area will fall. Hope and Pray for the righteous.
Isaiah 17
‘[OPINION] The unbearable cost of authoritarianism’
https://www.turkishminute.com/2023/02/09/opinion-the-unbearable-cost-of-authoritarianism/
Maybe the $100B+ being spent to destroy Ukraine would be better spent helping the Turks and Syrians.
I recall fondly the speed and love with which Turkey and Syria provided aid to us all in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.
This question has not come up, if this is a earthquake area,should these buildings,especially the high rise buildings, have not been built to with stand a earthquake.Lets look at Japan for example.
Many areas don’t build to modern standards appropriate to their known hazards.
When I was in Saudi Arabia I watched buildings going up, and I could see straight through the pre-plastered walls due to their incredible stinginess with mortar. Construction sand must be imported on the peninsula, what passes for sand there is closer to dust and unusable, so they stretch out the expensive stuff.
Even Korea, growing more modern by the day, still has serious issues with construction quality. My first year there I concluded that the prevailing natural disaster in Korea is gravity; buildings and bridges not half a decade old were simply collapsing of their own accord.
Remember the Miami collapse.
DanQ: Poor building materials. Inadequate concrete reinforcement (rebar). Unsafe design and engineering for earthquake prone areas. The loss of life is terrible and sad. Poor construction was a major contributor. Combined with the quake striking while most victims were asleep, the awful outcome was assured.
Many buildings are very old and finished way before any building ‘codes’ existed.
Amen. In mourning for these people. Each is someone’s brother, sister, parent or child. Regardless of the differences in cultures, these are all God’s children. He made each uniquely gifted and now He calls them home. Peace over all of these people and peace in our world.
Greece has put aside differences with Turkey and sent fast vital aid to Turkey.
I’m a retired mathematician, I can’t help but see a grim picture. The number of buildings collapsed, the population of that area, the earthquake happened in the middle of a cold snowing night, it all adds up to a shocking total that I will keep to myself.
The sad part is that a Dutch researcher Frank Hoogerbeets predicted this would happen 3 days before it happened, he had given the exact location on the fault. He even predicted the magnitude at around M7.5 on Twitter and no one paid any attention to him and some even mocked him. He is an expert from the Solar System Geometry Survey. He said that the quakes are always “preceded by critical planetary geometry”.
Have you ever wondered why the Ancients were always tracking the planetary movements?
Do you have a link for him?
Solar System Geometry Survey
The US and Israel weaponization humanitarian aid and are t sending any to Syria.
It has already been reported here that Israel had already started sending aid the very next day after the quake. I am sure they will rank at the top per capita in aid sent.
Woody Allen beat you up AGAIN and steal your lunch money?
“I am sure they will rank at the top per capita in aid sent.”
Well, if they do, you can bet it will be someone elses money.
Just read Assad bombed rescue workers. Lovely fellow. I remember when Syria bombed Palestinian refugee camps.
I would have to look into that story….
Assad and Erdogan started restoring their relations last couple of months.
Plus parts of Syria are suffering from the quake also.
I know this is supposed to be a sympathy and compassion thread but the question still has to be asked…..
Why in hell do they continue to build multi-story buildings out of concrete and masonry in areas that have had major earthquakes since the beginning of recorded time?
I used to live in the Bay Area in Ca and the number of residential buildings there that are just waiting for a big enough quake to come along would make anyone shake their head.
Steel! Steel! Steel! And not the modern art/deco crap like the WTC was made, BIG BOLTS, Welding and real engineering.
The World Trade Center was the furthest thing from Art Deco that you could possibly find. The Empire State Building and, my favorite, the Chrysler Building are representative of Art Deco styling. Art Deco’s heyday was 1925 – 1940. Welding didn’t come into widespread use until the beginning of WWII.
Read up on why the Titanic sank, and you may just change yer opinion!
If it’s a poor region, using lesser materials may come down to money.
My prayers goes to those in Turkey and Syria.
Any thoughts or it’s coincidences !!?
Time to have a look at Turkey?
”https://www.rt.com/news/570447-turkiye-nato-provocations-sweden/ Turkish opposition backs exit from NATO – media” (Rt)“Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu Slams the US, UK and EU just 3 days before the devastating artificially triggered earthquakes.…the US and several EU nations decided to temporarily shut down their consulates in Istanbul due to “security considerations.” The foreign governments also advised their citizens to avoid tourist hotspots in Türkiye, citing a terrorist threat.”
“..• Turkey has refused to permit Sweden (and Finland) into NATO pending the outcome of the “harboring terrorists” issue• Turkey has been working closely with Russia, Syria and Iran to permanently resolve the Syrian conflict• Turkey has been collaborating with Russia all along to help negotiate a peace treaty with Ukraine• Turkey’s territory has become Russia’s Plan B where it concerns natural gas pipelines that were once operative in Ukraine, as well as presenting an alternative to the destroyed Nord Stream pipelines• Turkey has made major purchases of armaments from Russia including the S-400 air defense system against the strict demands of the United States• Turkey has been in an intensifying cold war with fellow NATO member Greece which is viewed as highly disruptive to the central mission of the North Atlantic Terrorist Organization• Turkey has also recently attacked the Syrian Kurds who are considered the U.S. partner in the fake fight against ISIS• Turkey was targeted by the Zio-Anglo-American Axis just last week with economic sabotage after the US and several European nations shut down their consulates in Istanbul after falsely warning of terrorist attacks• Turkey’s Interior Minister recently lambasted US ambassador Jeffry Flake, accused Washington of “working to hurt his country” and incriminated the Western nations for waging “psychological warfare” to undermine tourism in Türkiye, all just 3 days prior to this transparently vengeful geoterrorist attack. …” (SOTN)
There is no real proof I guess, but there is tech to do this (HAARP) and a bit of too many coincidences.
God help those victims. Good engineering does make a difference. Maybe they will start building earthquake proof buildings from now on.
I agree, but can it be possible to build earthquake proof buildings?
It’s possible to build them so that the occupants can survive earthquakes. That much is for sure. Look at the 2010 Japan earthquake. It was the tsunami that killed most of those people and that earthquake was every bit as big as this one.
Some time ago saw a documentary on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and Spanish colonial architecture in Chile, which is prone to earthquakes.
There was a specific building technique involving straw and reinforcing bricks in a way that helped stabilize walls during earthquakes.
This is more recent on Chile:
https://cachandochile.wordpress.com/2010/03/14/chiles-earthquake-an-arcitects-perspective/
I have some anxiety about the New Madrid fault here in the central US
I think that if a quake of this magnitude plus all those aftershocks hit San Fran or any other cities supposedly built to modern engineering standards, you would see most of those cities destroyed with major loss of life. It is easy to pass off tragedy of this magnitude with a platitude about better building standards. IMO comments on CT are not what they were when I first came here.
I noted last week. 20K is probably less than half the final tally. 6,500 buildings down. Say 10 people per building. And we know that is low. It’s 65,000 at least injured.
The EU and US refuse to help Syria because of sanctions on Syria. While the US steals 66,000 barrels a day from Syria which could use the billions of dollars that that oil would have gotten on the market.
Planes from western nations cannot fly into Syria to bring anything. God bless all who are helping in Syria. And God condemn those “Christian nations” who have passed by on the other side.
Amen.
I’m borrowing from some other person’s comment on another site.
~8000 collapsed structures with 20,000 souls lost is only ~4 deaths per building.
The casualty count is probably going to go significantly higher. A number hard to imagine in modern times.
Prayers for all.
“An earthquake this size has the potential to be damaging anywhere in the world, but many structures in this region are particularly vulnerable.”The two largest earthquakes in the recent series are relatively shallow, with the main shock 18 kilometers, or 11 miles, deep and the 7.5 magnitude aftershock at 10 kilometers (just over 6 miles) deep. Because the quakes are relatively shallow, the intensity of the shaking is severe.https://www.usgs.gov/news/featured-story/magnitude-78-earthquake-nurdagi-turkey
It’s horrific. The scenes…heartbreaking, soul hurts so bad for all. To watch is so very difficult…such pain and grief…
Aired were a newborn with his umbilical cord still attached rescued where his mother and siblings lay dead…a father holding his trapped, deseased 14 yr old daughter’s hand refusing to let go…such horror and despair for everyone…
Many prayers, love and hope to all. May God help and guide those suffering.
Amen. Thank you.
“Ten-day-old baby is saved having spent nearly half its life under rubble and family of six who were buried alive are also rescued.” —today’s news ..his mother was also rescued.
Other new wonderful news:
a 3 yr oldgirl –after 103 hours underground
18 month old –after 105 hours
One boy said he drank his own urine to survive
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11735387/Newborn-mother-survive-90-hours-trapped-Turkey-Syria-quake-death-toll-hits-21-000.html
—————————————————————————
.
Please let all who are still alive under the rubble be safely rescued. May they sense the massive efforts to get to them. May they hold on long enough.
May all our hope and prayers envelope them in love, hope, courage so they know the are not alone. May they have the physical endurance to survive while rescuers work to reach them
Thank you for the prayer Sundance. It’s important to remember to do this at such time as this.
The Turks internally are estimating over 50,000 have died but aren’t releasing that info.
This is what happens in countries with shoddy building standards and inspections rife with payoffs. I prayed the same prayer this morning as you did Sundance.
Who needs stinkin building codes in an earthquake hot spot?
It was a terrible human tragedy. I have been to Antalya, not too far from where it happened. It was a very beautiful small port and the people were friendly.
I wish them the best possible outcome.
This tragedy should demonstrate to the greenies, who really is in charge. I’ll give you a hint greenies, it’s not the human beings.
Greenies are Money-Mad Pied Pipers.
The earth has always changed & not one of them can stop this with their plans to move industry to a few sewers while they bask in the decaying odor of blood money.
I do not understand anyone who is not at least a mini prepper if they have a house or closet.
Some MRE’s, water, blanket, tent. Be prepared. Earthquake prep in rich countries should encourage this, aid to less developed nations should help people understand the it.
Amen