World Rushes To Turkey's Rescue

On February 6, 2023, a horrific and disastrous earthquake shook Southern and Central Turkey, along with Western Syria. This calamity occurred at exactly 4:17 TRT. It happened 34 kilometres west of Gaziantep, an ancient city in the westernmost part of Turkey, just 97 kilometres north of Aleppo, Syria. This disastrous event has inflicted severe damage and trauma on the residents of these countries and their families. The death toll from this earthquake exceeded the 17,118 of the Izmit quake in 1999, which struck the north-western part of Turkey nearly 25 years ago. The latest data states that at least 22,765 people have died, around 82,956 have been injured and a minimum of 373,780 have been displaced from their homes. This heart-breaking tragedy has affected almost 24 million people.

Turkey has a long history of earthquakes; this takes us back to the devastating earthquake that hit the eastern Turkish city of Erzincan in 1939 and nearly killed 33,000 people. But the death toll keeps increasing as rescuers try their level best, racing against time and death, to help recover more survivors. Many have attempted to analyse the causes of this earthquake's lethal nature and the variables that might lead to an increasing death toll in its wake. For the time being, a potent fault line, cold conditions, aftershocks, inadequate infrastructure, and insufficient help are to blame. The rest of the world is in prayer and is doing what it can to help while Turkey and Syria are in need.

A UN convoy of six trucks arrived from Turkey through the Bab al-Hawa gate on Thursday, the first UN relief shipment into war-torn northern Syria since the earthquake struck, as a sign of progress in aiding Syrian rescue operations. The crossing, one of the last remaining enclaves for the opposition that battled Al - Assad's command during a 12-year civil war, had been shut down due to damage to roads and other infrastructure. The crossing provides a vital lifeline to 4 million people in Syria's Idlib province, one of the very few surviving enclaves for the opposition.

The president of UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, “ordered the provision of $100 million for the relief of those affected,”. The Gulf state, which had previously promised Syria $13.6 million, is leading regional relief operations and has sent planes loaded with supplies and rescue crews to both nations. The Joint Operations Command of the Ministry of Defence declared the beginning of the "Gallant Knight / 2" operation to aid the people of Turkey and Syria by the directions of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, the Emirates Red Crescent, the Armed Forces, the Ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs, and International Cooperation are all involved in the effort.

Several ministries and the UAE's humanitarian arm have requested involvement in the "Bridges of Good" initiative to help collect and assemble relief goods for earthquake-devastated Turkey and Syria. The call was made by the Emirates Red Crescent Authority in coordination with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Community Development. It is part of efforts being made by the UAE to support those affected by the earthquake in the two countries by providing immediate humanitarian aid. On February 11 from 9 am to 2 pm at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and the Dubai Exhibition Centre, both located in Expo City Dubai, the campaign will start with the packing of the initial aid. Over the course of two weeks beginning on February 12, the ERC and the collaborating UAE humanitarian and philanthropic organizations will actively accept donations in cash and any form.

The initiative appeals to all parts of UAE society to assist in this voluntary drive to collect and mobilize humanitarian relief materials in empathy with the afflicted families from Syria and Turkey. Anyone who wants to support the campaign may sign up at volunteers.ae.

References

CNN, 2023. Here's why the earthquake in Turkey and Syria was so deadly. [Online] Available at: https://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2023/02/08/deadly-earthquake-turkey-syria-explained-contd-orig-dp-ll.cnn[Accessed 2023].

Gulf Today Beta , 2023. President Mohamed Bin Zayed directs launch of 'Gallant Knight / 2' operation to Syria and Turkey. [Online] Available at: https://www.gulftoday.ae/news/2023/02/06/president-mohamed-bin-zayed-directs-launch-of-gallant-knight--2-operation-to-syria-and-turkey [Accessed 2023].

WAM, 2023. Turkey-Syria earthquake: UAE's Emirates Red Crescent calls for volunteers to mobilise relief supplies for families. [Online] Available at: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/turkey-syria-earthquake-uaes-emirates-red-crescent-calls-for-volunteers-to-mobilise-relief-supplie[Accessed 2023].

Yackley, A. J. & Samson, A., 2023. Turkey-Syria death toll tops that of devastating 1999 quake. [Online] Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/a1f1c250-5d40-4d7f-9bfc-b392e29c33cc[Accessed 2023].