Rescue crews in the earthquake-affected areas of Turkey and Syria are now working frantically to retrieve people who have been buried in the collapsed houses.
Several thousand buildings have collapsed, and the rescue work is extensive.
– Not enough resources
– We have used all the resources we have, but it is still not enough, says Ammar Salmo, who is a spokesman for the civil defense group The White Helmets in northern Syria.
RESCUED: No one knows how many people have been affected by the earthquake. Here, a girl is saved in the town of Jandaris, in Syria. Photo: REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
He says they have major challenges in the rescue work.
– Among other things, we lack fuel for the machines used to move the ruins, says Salmo to TV 2.
In addition, the weather creates problems. It is cold and wet in the affected areas.
The earthquake struck at 4.17 Monday morning local time – about 2.17 Norwegian time. The earthquake was measured at magnitude 7.8, and there have been several aftershocks.
The graphic shows where the tremors were strongest. Photo: USGS
Salmo describes the situation as precarious, and says they now need all the help they can get.
Millions of refugees
Several million refugees live in the earthquake-affected areas in northern Syria. Many live in miserable conditions and with little access to healthcare. It is difficult to get information from the area.
RESCUE WORK: Large machines are needed to clean up the ruins in Hama, Syria. One of the rescue workers in the organization tells TV 2 that they lack fuel to operate them effectively. Photo: YAMAM AL SHAAR
– We do not have an overview of how many refugees have been affected by the earthquake, says Salmo to TV 2.
At 12 noon Norwegian time, the number of dead has exceeded 1,300. The death toll is rising rapidly. Several thousand are also injured.
The epicenter was approximately 17.9 kilometers underground near the cities of Gaziantep and Osmaniye, a few miles from the border with Syria.
40 aftershocks
The earthquake lasted for about one minute and was followed by more than 40 aftershocks, the strongest of which occurred on Monday afternoon and was measured at 7.5.
You could also feel the tremor in Egypt, Lebanon. In Damascus and Beirut, many people ran into the streets, fearing that buildings would collapse.
Turkey has declared a state of emergency at level four, which also triggers a call to the international community for assistance. Several countries have offered their help, including Norway.
