Turkey was faced with probably the worst disaster of its history this week. The death toll has already risen to 16,000, with an unknown number trapped in the rubble of thousands of destroyed buildings. Rescue operations have been hampered by freezing weather and slow response, despite the tremendous effort put in by emergency workers.
72 hours is the period considered most likely to save lives, yet many are still waiting for help four days later. Despite the cold temperatures, rescue workers have not given up – they have continued searching through the rubble, with miraculous results.
Miraculously, people are still being pulled from the wreckage alive. This disaster has impacted thousands of people’s lives, both those lost and the many more injured. The physical destruction it has caused is clear, with uncounted buildings destroyed or damaged across Turkey and Syria.
It is difficult to imagine the immense grief this disaster has caused so many. Yet amongst that grief, it is also incredible to witness stories of survival and hope against the odds. Emergency workers are true heroes in this situation – working fervently in the cold, day and night, to try and rescue as many people as possible. We can only hope that more people will be pulled out alive. Our thoughts are with all those affected by the recent drama of events. These past few days have shown us the worst of what nature can bring, and some of the best in humanitarian aid.
The consequences of this disaster will remain with us for a long time, and it’s up to us all to keep the dream of a better future alive. Many countries have lent their hand to help the Turkish government in this time of crisis but the same can’t be said for Syria, the country which has been in a middle of a war and is finding it difficult to get the required help due to heavy sanctions.
