On the 20th, it will be two weeks since a large earthquake occurred on the 6th of this month near the Syrian border in southern Turkey.


More than 46,000 people have been confirmed dead in Turkey and Syria so far. The issue is how to stay healthy.

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I have summarized my concerns.

Rescue continues in various places, limited search continues

A total of 46,000 people have been confirmed dead so far in the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck southern Turkey on the 6th of this month and the subsequent strong shaking, with 40,689 people in Turkey and 5,814 people in Syria. is exceeded.



Turkey's disaster management authorities ended search operations in the affected areas on the 19th, except for the worst-hit southern provinces of Kahramanmaras and Hatay, on the 20th, two weeks after the quake struck. announced.



In the two excluded prefectures, rescue efforts for survivors continued in various places even though it was almost two weeks after the earthquake, and the families of those left behind wanted to continue the search activities. The search will continue, limited to

``Infectious disease increased suspicion'' at evacuation centers How to protect health

On the other hand, how to protect the health of the victims due to the prolonged evacuation life is an issue.



About 300 patients visit the clinic every day at the Kahramanmaras shelter, which houses about 8,500 people.

According to doctors, immediately after the earthquake, many of the injuries caused by the collapse of buildings were treated, but as evacuation life in tents continued for a long time, symptoms such as fevers and coughs, as well as being unable to take a shower even once since the earthquake occurred. It means that the number of people suffering from skin diseases is increasing due to the deterioration of the sanitary environment such as not being able to change clothes.



“It was very cold inside the tent and all the children were sick. I was talking.



A doctor who is responding to the situation said, ``Because people evacuated with only the clothes on their backs, there are many people who wear the same clothes every day without changing clothes. '' he complained.



Under these circumstances, on the 19th, at the evacuation center, work was carried out to disinfect the areas where many people gather and the surroundings such as trash cans, and the installation of showers finally began.

According to the person in charge, about 50 showers will be installed in multiple places in the evacuation center and will be used by the disaster victims as soon as they are ready.

Bereaved families face double suffering

Those who have lost family members face a double whammy of grief and uncertainty about the future.



Mehmed Ashkar (32), who continues to live as a refugee in Antakya, the central city of Hatay Province in the south, said his house was destroyed by the earthquake, and his 56-year-old father and 31-year-old brother were found dead in the rubble a few days later. I was.

Their bodies were buried in a nearby cemetery, and they still visit each day with their families to offer their prayers.



The house Mehmed built while working abroad was completely destroyed, and now his family of seven lives in a tent set up in a nearby vacant lot.

In the mornings and evenings, the temperature drops below freezing, but there are not enough mats for everyone, and there are no toilets, showers, or even a place to wash your hands.



Of particular concern to Mehmed is his mother Fatma, 60.

Fatma has not recovered from the shock of losing her husband and one of her sons at once, and she is so desperate that she cannot even walk by herself, but she has received mental care, etc. It is said that there is no support for



Mehmed herself is very worried about her future life, as her father and younger brother, who together made a living for the family, have lost their income, and how long they will continue to live in a tent with small children. I'm here.

She said she decided to stay in the makeshift tent, despite her mother's desire to stay on the land she spent with her family.



"My life is over. Losing my husband and my son is like a nightmare. Even now, every morning I wonder if they are really alive," said Fatma, her mother. I was talking while shedding tears.



"I lost everything. I lost my beloved family and my home that I worked so hard to build in a foreign country. I can't cry anymore. I don't know what to do next," she said. was