IHH aid teams that launched relief work in the aftermath of the quake in Van continue their efforts in the region at full speed. Specially-trained IHH Emergency Aid and Rescue teams have managed to save six individuals from rubble so far.
Working at the Alkanat Street in Erciş throughout Monday, IHH teams noticed, through the use of special devices, the presence of survivors under the wreckage of a multi-storey building. Speedily launching rescue efforts, they saved three people from rubble.
Noticing the presence of other survivors under rubble, IHH teams continued rescue efforts and saved a 9-year-old girl and a woman from rubble in the evening hours. The name of the girl was reported to be Şifa while the name of the woman was not available.
Woman saved 37 hours after quake
When IHH aid workers learned that Şifa’s pregnant mother was under rubble, they continued rescue efforts and the good news came at 3 a.m. The pregnant woman was saved alive from the rubble. The individuals who were saved from rubble were in good medical condition; however, the pregnant woman lost her unborn baby.
Despite the freezing cold and darkness, IHH rescue teams worked on other collapsed buildings with the hope of saving people trapped under rubble. Apart from joining search and rescue efforts, IHH offered its devices used to detect survivors under rubble to the service of other teams for speedy and effective search and rescue efforts.
Mobile kitchen begins distributing hot meals
A mobile kitchen which was sent to the region by the IHH in the aftermath of the quake began distributing hot meals to quake victims on Tuesday. The mobile kitchen will be offering meals to 10,000 people per day.
IHH also takes relief to villages
Aid items which were sent to the region by a humanitarian aid truck began to be distributed to the quake victims. Blankets and warm clothes were firstly distributed to the victims. Working in groups, IHH aid workers, which include around 200 individuals, are also working to take relief to the villages affected by the earthquake.