Illustration photo – An excavator removes the rubble of a destroyed building after an earthquake in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, February 13, 2023.
Ankara – Rescue workers today managed to pull a forty-two-year-old woman alive from the rubble. This happened 222 hours after the earthquake, Reuters reported. Last week's earthquake in Turkey claimed over 35,000 lives. In Syria, the numbers are uncertain, Reuters reports 5,800 dead.
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Photo gallery: Earthquake in Turkey and Syria
Late on Tuesday, rescuers managed to pull a 77-year-old woman from the rubble, who had spent 212 hours under the rubble. A total of ten people were rescued on Tuesday.
The death toll from the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria rose to at least 40,000 on Tuesday. On Tuesday evening, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that over 35,400 people had died in his country due to the earthquake. In Syria, where tremors have hit areas controlled by the government in Damascus and rebels, Reuters reports 5,800 casualties, based on information from the government and the United Nations. Property damage is also extensive in both countries.
Czech rescuers freed 66 dead, they will return to the Czech Republic on Friday afternoon
On Tuesday, Czech rescuers rescued more than a dozen dead people from the rubble after the earthquake in Turkey, a total of 66 during their deployment in the city of Adiyaman. Journalists were informed about this by the spokesman of the Czech fire brigade, Jakub Kozák. The Czech team has not yet experienced any security problems, but according to Kozák, the army and police are deployed in the city due to tension. The rescuers will return to the Czech Republic on Friday afternoon.
The Czech team continues to work in the two assigned sectors. According to Kozák, heavy equipment helped with the removal of individual panels, and thus the rescuers reach the lower floors.
“We have registered 66 dead people who have been rescued during the deployment, and nine other rescue teams are deployed in Adiyaman together with us,” said Kozák. According to him, the number of those rescued has not changed. They already rescued two survivors and assisted colleagues from another team in rescuing a woman.
Kosák said that some roads in Adiyaman are still closed and are only used for rescue work or debris removal. Electricity and water are still not available. The army and police were deployed in the city to ensure security. “Some tension was noted in the area. The teams are advised to have interpreters or guides available when conducting the survey or when working on the rubble. The Czech team did not directly encounter any problems,” added the spokesperson. Some foreign rescuers withdrew from Turkey prematurely due to the deterioration of the security situation.
The rescuers will return to the Czech Republic on Friday afternoon, they should arrive at the Prague airport at 15:40. The plane will then continue to Ostrava, where the landing is planned for 19:35.
