Sally Griffiths (OCHA) (24-Oct-2011 18:20)
Situation update 18h00 GVA time 24 Oct from OCHA's Regional Office in Cairo:
Situation Update:
According to official numbers announced in Ercis, the worst affected village, by Idris Naim Sahin, Minister of Interior, over 80 multi-storey buildings collapsed. He said some 40 buildings still had people trapped inside with Search and Rescue (SAR) teams still striving to reach as much as possible those trapped. SAR and first aid activities have been continuing without any interruption since yesterday.
The death toll of the earthquake has officially risen to 213 people, with around 1,150 people injured, according to AFAD. Casualties took place in Van and Ercis.
Dozens of aftershocks over 5 magnitude were reported.
150 prisoners escaped from the Van prison as the building damaged during the earthquake, but most of them returned stating they run away due to panic and concern for their families, according to news reports.
According to media reports, residents spent the night outdoors and lit campfires, while the Red Crescent began to set up tents in a stadium. Others sought shelter with relatives in nearby villages.
Meanwhile, schools are closed in Van and Ercis.
Relief efforts:
The government swiftly took action and aid material and personnel were dispatched to the region. NGOs also send their personnel to the region. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accompanied by six ministers, visited Ercis to observe rescue operations and relief efforts on 23 October.
The Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay, who is coordinating the government's response at the quake zone in Van province, said tents were being assembled and food distributed as part of a major relief and rescue operation. He said that rescue teams have reached all the villages in the earthquake affected area. Atalay said that most of the districts of Van and Ercis now have electricity and phone lines are back to normal, and added that all the services will soon be reestablished. One mobile station for GSM operators has been establsihed, and nine mobile GSM stations are have been deployed from neighboring cities.
The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) informed that more than 1275 search and rescue and health officials were sent to Van from 45 provinces and 37 different institutions. A technical committee of 20 AFAD personnel arrived in the region and 200 technical staff from different provinces have also been assigned. AFAD has assigned one coordinator and personnel in each of the following airports: Ankara Esenbođa, Ýstanbul Atatürk and Ýzmir Adnan Menderes in order to organize SAR teams, medical and first aid personnel, and in kind aid.
In total 2.398 SAR personnel, 12 search dogs, 355 construction machinery and vehicles, 108 ambulances (7 air ambulances), 30 generators, 95 portable wcs, 6.377 tents, 16.888 blankets, 1.120 food parcels, 10.064 food coli, 21 portable kitchens, 1.719 kitchen sets, 3.812 catalytic stoves, 425 sleeping bags, one mobile oven and 500 food packages have been delivered to the region.
The Turkish Red Crescent set up a crisis help desk to oversee developments in the region. Kizilay has started sending tents, blankets and the other supplies to Van from their logistics depots in various neighboring provinces in the region, especially from Erzurum.
The Turkish Red Crescent and the military are playing leading roles in the provision of the emergency relief. The Turkish military assigned three cargo planes for use by AFAD to transport relief aid. The Turkish military also dispatched to the region five battalions including rescue teams. Psychosocial and social support services have been assigned through the Governor of Van.
Relief aid personnel and materials are also being dispatched to the region from the neighboring provinces, including medical supplies. The Ministry of Health is also present in the region with ambulance planes, personnel and field hospitals, and other medical supplies. Two field hospitals in Van and two field hospitals in Ercis were erected.
Relief aid campaigns have been launched by local governments and NGOs all around the country.
International response:
NATO, China, Japan, the United States, Azerbaijan, European countries, Israel, and Iran offered help after the earthquake.
According to media reports, first aid planes arrived from Azerbaijan followed by Pakistan and Iran, carrying aid personnel and material.
Azerbaijan sent three airplanes – 1st plane on 23 October with 145 rescuers, dogs and equipments; 2nd plane on 24 October with 250 tents, 2700 field sleeping bags, 2 field kitchens and 20 more personnel; and 3rd plane with 46 rescuers and first aid kits.
Bulgaria deployed 1 Medium USAR Team with 4 dogs, 8 handlers and equipments.
Iran: based on information from the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), the IRCS Rescue and Relief Teams including assessment units , relief workers, ambulances and tents and blankets are now in earthquake hit areas and providing assistance. The IRCS is also preparing a big humanitarian assistance consignment for dispatch to Turkey.
The Turkish government currently does not seek foreign assistance for the relief efforts nor has it requested any international aid.
The Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also released a message. It reads as follows:
Statement attributable to the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General on the Earthquake in Turkey.
The Secretary-General was deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and destruction in today's earthquake in eastern Turkey. He expresses his heartfelt sympathies to the Government and people of Turkey at this time of loss and suffering.
The Secretary-General commends the Turkish authorities for their rapid response to the situation. The United Nations is in contact with the relevant authorities and stands ready to offer any assistance if requested.
Needed relief material:
According to media reports, blankets, water, tents and food items and heavy machinery for rescue operations are needed and have been dispatched to the region by AFAD, the Turkish Red Crescent and NGOs.
Disaster Interpreters Organisation (24-Oct-2011 17:32)
Today a foreign volunteer (NGO) team has arrived in Ankara airport, without waiting any calls for international USAR assistance or contacting the local authorities or even their country's foreign mission. They were not granted the authorisation to go to and work in the disaster area and now they are waiting for the flight to go back to their country.
F.Raminfar (24-Oct-2011 14:18)
At least I hope they change their mind for presence of international SAR teams.
Jesper H. Lund (FCSS/ESB/OCHA) (24-Oct-2011 11:00, updated: 24-Oct-2011 11:03)
Turkey Earthquake: Situation as at 10.00 GVA time 24th Oct
Situation Update:
The earthquake, of magnitude 7.2 and at a depth of 5km, struck Turkey’s Eastern province of Anatolia, with an epicentre in the village of Tabanli, 17kms north of the city of Van (pop: 380,000, primarily Kurds), close to the border with Iran. The worst-affected town was Ercis (pop: 100,000). The quake was amongst the strongest in Turkish history, and the worst since 1999. Smaller-scale follow-up tremors are continuing.
While reports of casualties and damages were initially hard to access (telephone and electricity lines were cut), the latest report (RC Office Turkey) puts the number of confirmed dead at 138 (primarily in Van and Ercis), with 350 wounded, many still trapped under rubble, and 970 collapsed buildings (many multi-story buildings, hotels, and dormitories). Local authorities estimate that the number of dead could reach several hundred, while the media is already reporting over 200 dead and 1,000 injured. An Istanbul seismological institute has suggested the numbers killed could reach 1,000 – this estimate is based on the strength of the quake and the structure of the housing in the area (majority constructed of clay/mud-brick), and has not been officially reported by the authorities.
Van airport was initially closed but is now operational following a damage assessment. The road linking Ercis to Van is damaged, which is creating access difficulties. Electricity lines are down but the Ministry of Energy has informed that it will provide electricity to the area shortly. At a big lake in Van city centre, there are unconfirmed reports of a rise in the water levels.
Humanitarian Response:
The Turkish government reacted swiftly, and dispatched aid and personnel to the affected area. Civil Protection and Search and Rescue teams are already in place in the affected area searching for survivors. The PM Emergency Unit is on alert as is the MOFA. The Istanbul Civil Defense USAR Team is on stand-by, and will likely deploy to the region.
Prime Minister Erdogan, who has visited the affected area, has announced that currently there is no need for international assistance. A cabinet meeting has been called for this morning in Ankara, to review the quake impact and response efforts.
Emergency teams are on the ground, and rescue workers are removing people from the rubble. More search and rescue teams are being sent from other parts of the country. Turkey's Red Crescent Society is a key actor in the response, both in initial rescue activities and in setting up shelters/camps, distributing tents, blankets, mobile kitchens, and food. The military is also playing a central role, with military aircraft deployed (3 cargo planes) to help with the rescue and relief efforts. According to the Turkish Red Crescent, the most urgent needs are clean water and heavy machinery. Hot food is being served to the affected population. Rescue teams, health staff, generators, ambulance helicopters, ambulances, food parcels, blankets, and 14 truckloads of assistance sent from neighbouring provinces has reached the affected area. There was a request to the private sector to lend cranes to remove debris, which was immediately responded to. With the large numbers of people being forced to sleep outdoors, shelter is a critical issue, as the temperature is 12-15 C during daytime but drops to 2 C at night, with snow expected within days.
Assistance has been sent from Iran and Azerbaijan. A rescue team of 140 from Azerbaijan has arrived in Van, while Iran has sent non-food items and also offered to send a field hospital. Israel, Greece, the UK, the USA, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland and Poland have offered assistance.
OCHA actions:
· OCHA ROMENACA in Cairo has been in contact with the Resident Coordinator and his Coordination Officer in Ankara to offer support and request regular info updates
· OCHA ROMENACA has been in contact with the Turkish Ambassador in Cairo, to convey OCHA’s readiness to support as required.
· OCHA Geneva (GCMS) has made contact with the Turkish Ambassador to the UN to offer condolences, explain support options available, and to outline contact already made via ROMENACA office
· OCHA Geneva (FCSS) has informed the Turkish National Disaster Management Office of OCHA's readiness to support as required. FCSS also made contact with EU-MIC, SDC, and with the INSARAG network to offer USAR support as required.
· The RC has called a UNCT meeting at 12 noon today, after which OCHA ROMANACA will be in contact with the RC’s Office to determine what kind of support and follow-up action – if any – is required from OCHA.
Other (Iran/Armenia):
ROMENACA has also contacted the RC in Armenia, who informed that the earthquake was also felt there, but no information about collapsed buildings and casualties is reported so far. OCHA NDRA in Iran is also following up with NDMO in Tehran and so far some mud made houses in rural areas of Salmas city (West Azarbaijan) and Chaldoran (East Azerbaijan) are reported demolished. Locals NDMOs are assessing the damages. NDMO deputy for response said Iran is ready to send search and rescue teams as soon as they receive information.
Prepared by Aoibheann O'Keeffe, GCMS OCHA GVA
Ebru Caymaz (AKUT) (24-Oct-2011 03:51, updated: 24-Oct-2011 04:02)
According to the latest statement by the The Ministry of Interior (04.30 on 24th of Oct.), there are 217 confirmed deads and 1090 injured victims.
Ebru Caymaz (AKUT) (24-Oct-2011 00:54, updated: 24-Oct-2011 03:52)
The Turkish Prime Minister press statement@ 01.52 on 24th of Oct.
By now, 138 people were found dead. 350 injured.
Baris Altan Dogan (AKUT, Turkey) (24-Oct-2011 00:08)
Turkish Prime Minister press statement @0100 on 24th of Oct.
By now, 93 dead in Van city center, 45 in Ercis. 350 casualties.
Gratitude for relief offers from all around the world.
