The recent earthquake in Turkey has been devastating, resulting in over 40,000 deaths and counting. The rescue of a 17-year-old girl who survived for 248 hours under rubble in Kahramanmaras is a miracle, and she has since been transferred to Ankara for recovery.
The United Nations has called for the creation of a $1 billion aid fund to help those affected by the disaster. This fund will be used to provide food, protection, education, water and shelter to 5.2 million people over the next three months. This is in addition to the work being done by the Turkish government. UN Secretary General António Guterres has urged the international community to stand with the people of Turkey in their time of need.
Reconstruction efforts have already begun in cities like Gaziantep, while the authorities have issued more than a hundred arrest warrants against architects, developers and builders for not adhering to anti-seismic legislation. The Union of Chambers of Architects and Engineers of Turkey believe that non-compliance with building regulations is largely to blame for the thousands of deaths caused by this tragedy.
The earthquake in Turkey has been a tragedy, and the international community must come together to provide aid and support to those affected. The UN’s aid fund is a step in the right direction, and hopefully it will help those affected by the disaster to recover and rebuild.
