On February 7, UN officials said widespread infrastructure damage caused by major earthquakes in Turkey and Syria was hindering aid efforts by UN agencies.
Speaking at a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, UN officials said coordination and assessment teams international disaster The first has now arrived at Adana airport in Turkey.
These teams are expected to arrive in Gaziantep on February 7, the epicenter of the first earthquake; however, the access road is limited and there is a shortage of transport trucks. Therefore, Turkish disaster prevention agencies are considering mobilizing helicopters and trucks from other provinces further afield.
A UN representative on the ground said that search and rescue forces have rescued about 8,000 people so far.
Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced that it is providing kitchen sets, mattresses and tents to those affected by the disaster. earthquake.
[Số nạn nhân thiệt mạng ở Thổ Nhĩ Kỳ và Syria vượt quá 7.800 người]
Theo UNHCR, more than 1.7 million of the 15 million people living in the 10 worst-affected Turkish provinces are Syrian refugees. Turkey has been the world’s largest host of refugees since 2014. About 4 million refugees and asylum seekers are currently in Turkey under temporary international protection.
The latest figures updated by the media show that the earthquake disaster in Turkey and Syria on February 6 left more than 7,800 people dead and tens of thousands injured. UN officials say the death toll is likely to continue to rise.
In addition, many buildings in the earthquake-affected areas are structurally uncertain, at risk of collapse in the coming days.
On the same day, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization expressed concern about the damage to the heritage sites of Syria and Turkey, and pledged to support the two countries devastated by the earthquake.
Following an initial survey of damage to the site, carried out jointly with the Turkish and Syrian authorities, UNESCO said that in Syria, UNESCO is particularly concerned about the situation in the ancient city of Aleppo. on the List World Heritage are in danger.
UNESCO said it has recorded significant damage in this ancient citadel. The western tower of the old city wall has collapsed and some of the buildings in the market place have been weakened.
Rescuers search for victims at the site of rubble after an earthquake in Kahramanmaras, Turkey. (Photo: AFP/VNA)Meanwhile, in Turkey, several buildings in the city of Diyarbakir collapsed. The city is home to the “Diyarbakir Fort and Hevsel Garden Cultural Landscape” which is included on the World Heritage List. It was an important center of the Roman, Sassanid, Byzantine, Muslim and Ottoman empires.
With the cooperation of Turkish and Syrian authorities, UNESCO experts are working to create an accurate inventory of the damage to sites on the World Heritage List.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) announced on February 7 that it is working with Turkish authorities to scale up the emergency response to reach women and girls affected by the disease. affected by the earthquake.
UNFPA Executive Director Natalia Kanem said: “UNFPA is committed to supporting the people of Turkey and Syria affected by the earthquake including pregnant women who are expected to give birth in the coming weeks in the coming weeks under these conditions. this difficult case.”
The earthquake collapsed or severely damaged thousands of buildings, including UNFPA-supported midwifery facilities, youth centers and safe spaces for women and girls.
According to a press release, UNFPA’s immediate priority is to re-establish services vital to the health, welfare and protection of women and girls.
Minh Chau (VNA/Vietnam+)