Powerful Earthquake Hits Turkey, Israeli Help Refused
A powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Turkey on Sunday, collapsing dozens of buildings into piles of twisted steel and chunks of concrete. Desperate survivors dug into the rubble with their bare hands, trying to rescue the trapped and injured. State-run television reported that 45 people were killed and 150 others injured in the eastern town of Ercis, but scientists estimated that up to 1,000 people could already be dead, due to low housing standards in the area and the size of the quake.
Ercis, a town of 75,000 in the mountainous province of Van close to the Iranian border, was the hardest hit. It lies on the Ercis Fault in one of Turkey’s most earthquake-prone zones. The bustling regional center of Van, 55 miles (90 kilometers) to the south, also suffered substantial damage.
Up to 30 buildings collapsed in Ercis, including a dormitory, and 10 buildings collapsed in Van, Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay said.
Rescuers in Ercis scrambled to find survivors in a flattened eight-story building that had shops on the ground floor, television footage showed. Residents sobbed outside the ruins, hoping that missing relatives would be rescued.
“My wife and child are inside! My 4-month-old baby is inside!” CNN-Turk television showed one young man crying.
Witnesses said eight people were rescued from the rubble, but frequent aftershocks were hampering search efforts, CNN-Turk reported.
“There are so many dead. Several buildings have collapsed. There is too much destruction,” Zulfikar Arapoglu, the mayor of Ercis, told NTV television. “We need urgent aid. We need medics.”
The quake’s epicenter was in the village of Tabanli, 10 miles (17 kilometers) from Van.
Turkey lies in one of the world’s most active seismic zones and is crossed by numerous fault lines. Sunday’s earthquake struck in the country’s most earthquake-prone region, around Lake Van near the border with Iran.
Israel Offers Help
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz ordered IDF Homefront Command search & rescue officials to begin preparations to head to Turkey, aware that country will require the expertise of Israel’s team, which has traveled the world assisting after natural disasters such as the earthquake that hit that country earlier today.
Ganz signaled that such a move will require government approval, and he believed this would be the case despite Turkey’s unilateral halt in diplomatic and military ties with Israel.
Turkey Refuses Aid Despite Desperate Need
President Shimon Peres spoke with Turkish President Abdullah Gul, expressing his condolences over the loss of life as a result of the powerful quake and reminding the Turkish official that Israel’s IDF Homefront Command search & rescue team is ready to move towards offering humanitarian assistance.
Gul informed Mr. Peres that his country is declining the offer for Israeli assistance, explaining local forces will deal with the natural disaster.
Couldn-t have said it better...
“Peace will come when the *Arabs will love their children more than they hate us.”
~Golda Meir
We don’t thrive on military acts. We do them because we have to, and thank God we are efficient.
~Golda Meir
* Turkey is a Republic with a large Muslim population – not an Arab country.
Akemi Mokoto
Ungrateful Turk. I bet the people of Turkey would be up in arms at knowing that aid was refused by him…if it were reported in Turkish State TV. But their bias won’t allow the truth to be known.
a yid
ken y’ovdo kol oyvecha hashem
Joe
Why is Turkey refusing help in this major disaster!
just a thought
hope no one helps them till they have to come begging for israeli help
Canan
We are aware about this refusal and we can’t understand our government’s decision!
Anyway, we thank Israel for their offer of assistance and their empathy.
Don’t judge/condemn all turks for every act of their government.
simsima
well,Turkey knows what she’s doing right now, when she refused Israel’s help,means a lot and all of us must understand the dimensions of this action. Sincerely,am with Turkey choice,who knows what she’s thinking of,it’s up to us to figure out,thank’ee
Ferden.
At least the Turks and the UN didn’t blame Israel for the earthquake.
They many need to pass another resolution.