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Emergency Medicine Association of Turkey Disaster Committee Summary of Field Observations of February 6th Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes

Authors :
Yılmaz, Sarper
Karakayali, Onur
Yilmaz, Serkan
Çetin, Murat
Eroglu, Serkan Emre
Dikme, Ozgur
Özhasenekler, Ayhan
Orak, Murat
Yavaşi, Özcan
Karbek Akarca, Funda
Günalp Eneyli, Müge
Erbil, Bülent
Akoğlu, Haldun
Source :
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine; June 2023, Vol. 38 Issue: 3 p415-418, 4p
Publication Year :
2023

Abstract

AbstractAn earthquake measuring 7.7 magnitude on the Richter scale occurred at 04:17amon February 6, 2023 in the Pazarcık district of Kahramanmaraş province Turkey. In the hours following the 7.7 magnitude event in Kahramanmaraş, a second 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the region and a third 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Gaziantep, causing extensive damage and death. A total of ten provinces directly experienced the earthquake, including Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Gaziantep, Osmaniye, Malatya, Adana, Diyarbakır, Şanlıurfa, Adıyaman, and Kilis. The official figures indicate 31,643 people were killed, 80,278 were injured, and 6,444 buildings were destroyed within seven days of the earthquakes (as of 12:00pm/noon on Monday, February 13th). The area affected by the earthquake has been officially declared to be 500km in diameter. This report primarily relies on observations made by pioneer Emergency Physicians (EPs) who went to the disaster areas shortly after the first earthquake (in the early stages of the disaster). According to their observations: (1) Due to winter conditions, there were transportation problems and a shortage of personnel reaching disaster areas on the first day after the disaster; (2) On the second day of the disaster, health equipment was in short supply; (3) As of the third day, health workers were unprepared in terms of knowledge and experience for the disaster; and (4) The subsequent deployment of health personnel to the disaster area was uncoordinated and unplanned on the following days, which resulted in the health personnel working there not being able to meet even their basic needs (such as food, heating, and shelter). During the first week, coordination was most frequently reported as the most significant problem.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1049023X and 19451938
Volume :
38
Issue :
3
Database :
Supplemental Index
Journal :
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine
Publication Type :
Periodical
Accession number :
ejs63281942
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049023X23000523