On the 13th, it will be a week since the devastating earthquake struck near the Syrian border in southern Turkey.

In both Turkey and Syria, more than 33,000 people have died so far, with many still believed to be trapped under collapsed buildings as desperate rescue efforts continue.

"I can only say it's a miracle"

In Kahramanmaras in southern Turkey, near the epicenter, more than 5,000 people died, and rescue teams from around the world, including the Japan Disaster Relief Team, are searching for people trapped under collapsed buildings. are doing



Around 1:00 pm on the 12th, at the site where a seven-story apartment building collapsed, one of the rescuers noticed a human voice and used an electric drill to remove debris.



At the site, the bucket parts of two heavy machinery were pressed against the rubble slope above the head of the rescue team to prevent a secondary disaster.



About two hours later, at 3:00 pm, the girl was rescued from the rubble and wrapped in a sheet to keep her body warm, and was put on a stretcher and taken to an ambulance.



Concerned about the girl's condition, the people who were watching tried not to speak until the ambulance departed, but once the ambulance departed, they shared their joy with applause and cheers.



A man who participated in rescue activities from North Macedonia said, "I'm glad that she survived. It can only be called a miracle."

Investigating the risk of house collapse

Meanwhile, in Kahramanmaras, the local city government is conducting a survey to confirm the extent of damage to houses.



On the 12th, a group of three staff members visited each condominium and apartment building that had escaped collapse, and confirmed the condition of the outer walls, pillars, and reinforcing bars from the outside.



Based on these results, additional surveys will be conducted as necessary to determine the degree of danger of collapse.



An architectural expert who participated in the survey said, ``If the building is dangerous, it must be demolished.



On this day as well, there was a building that was judged to be livable if reinforced, but an 8-story apartment was judged to be at high risk of collapsing due to aftershocks.



And the staff who took part in the survey posted a QR code that could be read with a smartphone so that residents could check the results themselves.



Mustafa Akturuk, 53, a resident of the apartment complex who is now sheltering in a tent, said: "It's the only house we have and there's nothing else we can buy or rent here. Winter tents. Life is cold and harsh, and I'm thinking of moving to another town."

Volunteers also serve meals in disaster-stricken areas

Volunteers from all over the country have rushed to the affected areas in southern Turkey to continue providing hot meals to the affected people.



About 50 volunteers traveled 15 hours on buses and trucks to the center of Kahramanmaras from towns in the western part of the city, some 700 kilometers away, to encourage the victims.



Volunteers set up a base near the search site of a collapsed apartment building.



A charcoal-grilled hamburger-like dish called kofte, made from minced meat, was sandwiched between bread and vegetables and served to disaster victims and people involved in search activities.



There was a long line for the soup kitchen, and the meal prepared for 10,000 people was gone in about four hours.



A man in his 20s who lost his home in the disaster said, "We realized that we are not alone. We are grateful for the support."



The caller said, "I rushed over because I thought the victims needed food. The damage is serious, but I hope I can help them to become more positive."

Dispatching a new medical team from Japan

It is reported that more than 80,000 people were injured in this earthquake, and many medical institutions such as hospitals were also damaged.



Under these circumstances, a new medical team of the Japan Disaster Relief Team was dispatched, and on the night of the 12th, 36 people, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, gathered at Haneda Airport.



In disaster areas, many patients are expected to suffer from "crash syndrome," a condition in which toxic substances accumulated in the body from being trapped under rubble for a long period of time spread throughout the body and can even lead to death. The only thing is to bring in a machine for artificial dialysis, which will be necessary after rescue, and treat it.



There are people on the team who have experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake, and Hiroyuki Fujiwara of Iwate Medical University said, "Because there are reports of damage similar to the disaster area 12 years ago, we will provide support that is close to the victims. I want to."



Dr. Junichi Inoue of Nippon Medical School Musashi Kosugi Hospital, who serves as the deputy head of the medical team, said, "I think there are many people who are still in a harsh environment with temperatures below freezing and are waiting for help with feelings of helplessness. I can help the people of Turkey even if just a little. I want to work like this."



The medical team will enter hospitals in the affected areas via Istanbul and will continue their activities until the 24th of this month.