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Turkey halts most rescue efforts for earthquake survivors | DailyExpertNews

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Istanbul, Turkey
DailyExpertNews

Turkey has ended most search and rescue operations nearly two weeks after a massive earthquake killed tens of thousands, the country’s disaster response authority said.

Search and rescue efforts are still underway in 40 buildings in two provinces, Kahramanmaraş and Hatay, the agency’s chief Yunus Sezer said, according to state news agency Anadolu.

Survivors have continued to be found under the rubble since the earthquake. On Saturday, a couple and their 12-year-old child were rescued in Hatay, 296 hours after the earthquake, Anadolu reported. The child later died.

Ilan Kelman, professor of disasters and health at University College London, told DailyExpertNews that while there is precedent for people surviving so many days after previous earthquakes, “it’s unusual”.

“Essentially, our bodies can be resilient, but a lot comes down to pure luck,” Kelman said.

There is a “hierarchy” of needs in these survival situations, he said. “The rule of thumb is three minutes without oxygen, three days without water, three weeks without food,” he said, meaning “there must be room to survive…enough oxygen.”

Hatay was one of the hardest hit Turkish provinces hit by the February 6 earthquake. At least 80% of the buildings will have to be rebuilt after demolition, the province’s mayor, Lutfu Savas, said on Sunday.

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“We urgently need more tents. It will remain cold for another month. People are afraid to stay at home, but they don’t want to leave their animals behind, especially in urban areas,” he said in an interview with Turkish news channel Haberturk.

Turkey’s latest death toll now stands at 40,689 after another 47 deaths were reported, with the combined number in Turkey and Syria rising to at least 46,530, Anadolu added.

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