Catastrophic earthquake hits Turkey and Syria

Rescuers+recover+a+child+trapped+under+rubble

Courtesy of IHA agency via AP

Rescuers recover a child trapped under rubble

Two days ago, a devastating earthquake hit Turkey and Syria, reportedly claiming the lives of more than 15,000 individuals thus far. The Anadolu Agency, a Turkish state-run news agency, has additionally recorded more than 60,000 injuries.

The effects of the earthquake were widespread. Turkish officials reported that “some 13.5 million people were affected” by the earthquake, according to the Times of India. The Times of India further reported that people were killed in Syria “as far south…as 250 km from the [earthquake’s] epicentre.”

Across both countries, thousands of buildings, including homes and businesses, have been destroyed. Many people are stuck under the rubble from infrastructure collapses. People familiar with disaster-relief efforts say that the clock is ticking for those under the rubble and that their chances of survival are diminishing by the hour.

Around the world, many people are rising to Turkish and Syrian calls for help and sending aid in the form of monetary and humanitarian relief supplies. Luckily, some nations and international groups have also made donations to Turkish and Syrian relief efforts. The United Nations, for example, released $25 million “from its emergency relief fund to help kick-start the humanitarian response in Turkey and Syria,” according to PBS. In addition, many countries have sent teams of rescue experts to the beleaguered disaster zone to assist with the rescue of survivors trapped under the fallen rubble.

The Cherry Hill High School East Turkish Cultural Society and the German Culture Club are similarly aiming to rise to the call. In the coming days, both clubs hope to collaborate by distributing informational flyers about the situation and publicizing donation links to disaster relief organizations.