Erdogan says Turkish government will cover rent for earthquake survivors for 1 year
From CNN's Hande Atay Alam
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to press after visiting the tent city in Adiyaman, Turkey, on February 10. (Ozkan Bilgin/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that the Turkey's government will pay citizens' rent for one year if they do not wish to stay in tents.
During his visit to the southeastern city of Adiyaman, Erdogan stated again that the government will rebuild the collapsed buildings in one year.
"In the meantime, we will offer 10,000 Turkish Lira ($530.92) to our citizens. In addition, for citizens who are not staying in tents, who don't want to stay in tents, we will ensure that they are able move to residential units, and we will cover their rent," he said.
He also mentioned that if quake citizens would prefer to stay in hotels, "we can also offer them this accommodation."
A woman sits on rubble as emergency rescue teams search for people under the remains of destroyed buildings in Osmaniye, Turkey, on Tuesday. (Khalil Hamra/AP)
CNN's Gokce Katkici contributed reporting to this post.
8:18 a.m. ET, February 10, 2023
Erdogan promises penalties for "abusers" involved in crime during the state of emergency
Written by CNN's Hande Atay Alam, translated by Gokce Katkici
Reports of attacks on businesses and robberies are coming in from regions impacted by Monday's earthquake, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday, adding he "will not leave any room for abuse."
Under the declared state of emergency, the government has "secured the authorities it needs" to crackdown on these crimes, he said in Adiyaman, Turkey.
"From now on, these abusers will be subject to the penalties necessary as soon as they have been apprehended," Erdogan added.
7:59 a.m. ET, February 10, 2023
More than 22,000 people have died in Turkey and Syria since Monday's 7.8-magnitude earthquake
From CNN's Isil Sariyuce, Mostafa Salem and Hande Atay Alam
Search and rescue efforts continue on February 10 in Hatay, Turkey. (Ugur Yildirim/dia images/Getty Images)
The earthquake death toll in Turkey and Syria has climbed to 22,375, according to authorities.
A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake impacted Turkey and Syria, followed by more than 100 aftershocks, including one that was 7.5 in magnitude.
At least 80,768 people in Syria and Turkey were injured, according to authorities.
Here's a breakdown:
Turkey's numbers:
At least 18,991 have died and 75,523 others are reported injured, according to Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Syria numbers:
There have been at least 3,384 deaths and 5,245 injuries across rebel-held areas and government-controlled areas.
At least 2,037 people have died, and 2,950 have been injured in rebel-held areas in the northwest, according to the ‘White Helmets’ civil defense group.
There were 1,347 deaths and 2,295 injuries reported in government-controlled parts of Syria, according to Syrian state media.
7:54 a.m. ET, February 10, 2023
Earthquake death toll climbs to 18,991 in Turkey, Erdogan says
From CNN's Hande Atay Alam
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that the death toll from Monday's devastating earthquake climbed to 18,991.
Additionally, 75,523 others have been reported injured, he said.
7:52 a.m. ET, February 10, 2023
Son reunites with parents and 4 siblings after rescued from rubble in Turkey after 5 days
From CNN's Amy Croffey
Five days — approximately 102 hours — after the earthquake struck, rescue workers pulled out a family of six, including two parents and their four children, from their collapsed first floor home in Iskenderun.
Furkan Oktay cried as he stood in the crowd watching his mother, Yasemin Oktay, be pulled out first, followed by his 17-year-old sister Dilan Oktay.
Furkan was the only member of the family who was not in the home when the earthquake struck, according to CNN Turk.
His father, Kadri Oktay, was the third to be rescued, and he waved to the gathered crowd and rescue workers as he was taken on a stretcher to an ambulance.
The youngest member of the family, 14-year-old Arda Oktay, was the fourth to be rescued, followed by his older sisters — 22-year-old Zilan Oktay and 24-year-old Helin Oktay.
Rescue teams cried and hugged each other following the miraculous rescues.
8:04 a.m. ET, February 10, 2023
Northwest Syria a "catastrophe on top of catastrophe," WFP warns, as earthquake aid stocks exhaust "quickly"
From CNN’s Becky Anderson
Syrian earthquake survivors rest in tents in Idlib, Syria, on February 9. (Muhammed Said/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
The World Food Programme (WFP) is calling for more access to Syrian territories impacted by the deadly earthquake to replenish aid supplies that have been exhausted, with the organization's executive director calling the situation in the northwest of the country "catastrophe on top of catastrophe."
"What stocks we have are being exhausted quickly, especially the ready to eat rations, and they need to be replenished quickly. To do this, we need access," David Beasley said.
Here's some background: In the past aid was brought into northwest Syria through Turkey from Bab al-Hawa crossing – the only point of entry authorized by the UN Security Council. A resolution proposing more border openings between Turkey and Syria was vetoed by Russia and China.
The other path in was through "crosslines," aid coming in from Syrian government territory into the rebel-held northwest.
"The one crossing authorized by the Security Council has been re-opened, but damage to roads and slowed customs clearances are significantly hampering movement," Beasley said.
"We need to resume and increase cross-line operations from inside Syria. This is not the time for anyone to politicize aid."
The WFP is aiming to provide ready-to-eat meals for 100,000 people in northwest Syria and have regular rations for 1.4 million people with partners ready for distribution.
But the organization still needs $700 million to feed almost 6 million people in Syria.
Northwest Syria is a catastrophe on top of catastrophe," Beasley said. "Now, in the middle of winter, many are displaced again, sleeping in tents and whatever shelter they can find with very limited services."
Tents are set up in Idlib, Syria, for earthquake survivors on Thursday evening. (Muhammed Said/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
6:36 a.m. ET, February 10, 2023
Here's the situation in Syria following the deadly earthquake
Search and rescue efforts continue in the Salqin district of Idlib, Syria, on Thursday. (Muhammed Said/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
More than 21,000 people have died in Turkey and Syria after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck on Monday, and rescue workers are now racing against time to pull survivors from the rubble of collapsed buildings in freezing winter conditions.
But years of conflict and an acute humanitarian crisis mean there are extra difficulties in helping survivors in Syria, where international aid has been slow to arrive.
The situation in Syria is starkly different to Turkey, where dozens of countries and international organizations have offered teams of rescuers, donations and aid.
Long wait for aid: It took until Thursday for the first United Nations aid convoy to cross from Turkey into northwestern Syria.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Thursday’s convoy, made up of six trucks carrying shelter items and Non Food Items, crossed through the Bab al-Hawa crossing – the only humanitarian aid corridor between Turkey and Syria.
Civil war disrupts aid efforts: The delivery of urgent supplies to quake-hit areas of northern Syria has been complicated by a long-running civil war between opposition forces and the Syrian government, led by President Bashar al-Assad, who is accused of killing his own people.
Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad says any aid it receives must go through the capital Damascus. “The Syrian state is ready to allow aid to enter into all regions, provided that it does not reach terrorist armed groups,” he said.
That leaves rebel-held areas reliant on aid groups including the UN.
Millions living in the rebel-held areas of northern Syria were already suffering from the effects of extreme poverty and a cholera outbreak when the quake hit. Now many are fending for themselves.
The number of people who were in need of humanitarian assistance before the earthquake stood at 15.3 million – but that number will now have to be revised, UN Resident Coordinator for Syria, El-Mostafa Benlamlih said.
In Aleppo alone 100,000 people are believed to be homeless, with 30,000 of that number currently sheltered in schools and mosques.
“Those are the lucky ones,” Benlamlih said.
The remaining 70,000 “have snow, they have cold and they are living in a terrible situation,” he added.
Freezing temperatures: The scale of the challenge is amplified by the fact that affected areas in both Turkey and Syria are facing colder than normal temperatures. For example, the Syrian city of Aleppo is forecast to have lows of -3°C to -2°C (27°F to 28°F) through this weekend, whereas February low are normally 2.5°C (36°F).
Families of 263 children pulled from the rubble in Turkey cannot be reached
From CNN’s Isil Sariyuce in Istanbul and Gokce Katkici
The families of 263 children who were pulled out of the rubble in Turkey cannot be reached, the country's Ministry of Family and Social Services said Friday.
Among the rescued children whose families could not be reached, 162 children are continuing to be treated at the hospitals, while 101 children were transferred to the relevant units of the ministry and taken under institutional care after their treatment.
The ministry announced that 18 children have been handed over to their families after identity checks and verification.
Climbing death toll: More than 21,000 people have died in Turkey and Syria, and rescue workers are now racing against time to pull survivors from the rubble of collapsed buildings in freezing winter conditions.
At least 78,124 people were injured across both countries, according to authorities.
5:28 a.m. ET, February 10, 2023
Pakistan sends 22 tons of relief goods to Turkey amid earthquake aftermath
From CNN’s Sophia Saifi in Islamabad and Martin Goillandeau in London
A Pakistani Air Force aircraft is loaded with supplies before its departure to Turkey at Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Tuesday. (Inter-Services Public Relations/Reuters)
Pakistan has sent a cargo plane carrying 20 metric tons (22 short tons) of relief goods for earthquake victims in Turkey as the search for survivors continues across the country.
"Just saw off a cargo plane carrying relief goods of 20-tonne for the earthquake victims of Türkiye. Pakistan has established an air, land & sea bridge for the provision of relief assistance for our brothers & sisters in Syria and Türkiye,” Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday.
"The people of Pakistan cannot forget how Türkiye came forward to help us at the time of earthquake of 2005 & super floods of 2010. The Islamic concept of brotherhood binds us in a unique relationship where we share the pain of each other," Sharif added in a separate tweet.
Pakistan sent rescue and relief teams as well as goods to Turkey on the day the earthquake struck, before deploying two contingents of the Pakistani Army emergency staff on Tuesday.
