ISTANBUL INCREASES SUPPORT FOR EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) continues its emergency relief and response efforts following the two earthquakes that hit Kahramanmaraş and 9 other provinces last Monday, measuring 7.7 and 7.6 on the Richter scale. IMM was appointed by Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) to undertake search and rescue and emergency aid operations in the province of Hatay. The earthquakes have claimed 31,643 lives so far.

Seven days after the earthquakes, IMM is proceeding with operations in search and rescue, urban cleaning, damage assessment, mobile toilet deployment, internet access and other humanitarian aid activities with 2,316 personnel, 1,065 pieces of construction equipment and service vehicles. In coordination with AFAD, 514 more IMM employees are volunteering in various provinces hit by the earthquake.

Two IMM-owned ferries are currently heading toward İskenderun to provide accommodation and help with evacuation efforts if needed. The number of vehicles headed for the region to deliver essential goods has reached 303 trucks. The region's need for tents, heaters, canned food products, thermal underwear, hygiene materials, adult diapers, baby care products, and food supplies continues.

So far, IMM teams have rescued 524 people from the wreckage and handed the survivors over to medical teams.

IMM’s aid relief has received more than 5 million items from donors. The collected aid has been shipped to the region in 303 trucks. Earthquake victims still remain in need of basic necessities, which the IMM is still actively collecting through its coordination centres in Yenikapı and Kartal.

UNINTERRUPTED SUPPORT: INFRASTRUCTURE, VEHICLES, MACHINERY, EMERGENCY SUPPLIES

IMM has dispatched various vehicles and equipment with essential capabilities for disaster relief. In Hatay, IMM teams have set up a 1,500 square metre shelter area, a 1,500 square metre logistics storage area, and a 300 square metre coordination centre. The infirmary is being set up.

Here are the highlights of the relief efforts:

•            A food truck serving 6,000 people daily and a mobile bakery with a capacity of 15,000 bread rolls per day are operating in Antakya.

•            61 trucks of bottled Hamidiye water have been dispatched to the region. 2.8 million units of half-litre bottles, 161 thousand units of 1.5-litre bottles, and 31 thousand units of 5-litre bottles have been sent to the region.

•            3.6 million rolls of bread and 61 thousand baby biscuits have been shipped to the region in 37 trucks

•            140 cabins of portable toilets, 42 portable showers, 5 mobile toilets, and 26 containers have been installed and are now in service.

•            14 mobile charging stations and 7 self-powered lighting poles have been installed.

•            3 mobile and 12 fixed satellite IMM Wi-Fi points have been deployed to provide internet access to earthquake victims.

•            An 11-person IT and telecommunications team is currently working in Hatay to provide constant internet and phone service.

•            107 municipal police officers and 15 service vehicles have been dispatched to the region.

•            An urban cleaning team consisting of 52 staff and 13 vehicles owned by IMM subsidiary İSTAÇ are currently operating in the region.

•            Seven veterinarians have been assigned to the region.

•            35 engineers and technicians have been sent to Gaziantep and Kahramanmaraş for damage assessment.

•            72 Emergency Healthcare Personnel are currently on duty in the field.

•            IMM affiliate Istanbul Water and Sewage Administration (İSKİ) has dispatched a technical team of seven people to the region to assess the damage inflicted on the water and sewage infrastructure of the area, and to determine the repair needs.

•            Electric generators have been installed to serve the tents set up for earthquake victims in Hatay Samandağ Mühendis Suphi Güzey Primary School. The required electrical connections have been made, and lighting and socket installations have been completed inside the tents.