Turkey: Survivors Cry, Scream From Under Debris As Desperate Rescuers Struggle In Chilly Weather

The screams of people still trapped in the rubble filled the night early on Tuesday and relatives wept for their loved ones as the death toll in Turkey and in neighbouring northwest Syria rose to more than 4,400.

Four quakes struck one after the other in Turkey and Syria, leaving thousands of collapsed buildings in its wake. A fourth 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck the central Turkey region on Tuesday. More than 5,600 buildings were destroyed in Turkey alone and around 224 more in northwestern Syria.

AFP

Rescue operations were hindered by cold temperatures, worsening the conditions for people trapped under rubble or left homeless. In one instance, people used power saws on a collapsed building so that any survivors could either climb out or be rescued. Poor internet connections and damaged roads between some of the worst-hit cities in Turkey's south also hindered the rescue efforts.

"They're saying save us, but we can't"

Under a pile of rubble in the southern province of Hatay, a woman¡¯s voice could be heard calling for help. Nearby, the body of a small child lay lifeless. Weeping in the rain, a local resident who gave his name as Deniz wrung his hands in despair, reports Reuters.

¡°They¡¯re making noises but nobody is coming,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re devastated, we¡¯re devastated. My God¡­ They¡¯re calling out. They¡¯re saying, ¡®Save us,¡¯ but we can¡¯t save them. How are we going to save them? There has been nobody since the morning.¡±

AFP

"I am so scared"

Akkaya was trying to piece together the remains of her life when a second jolt shook her house and sent her rushing out of her apartment, reports AFP.

"I am so scared. I felt (the aftershock) so strongly because I live on the top floor," the 30-something housewife said. "We rushed outside in panic. It was almost the same as the morning's earthquake. I can't go back to my apartment now, I don't know what will happen next."

AFP

'Thought it was the apocalypse'

Most of the region has lost access to gas and power. The weather service was promising rain and sleet across southeastern Turkey for much of the remaining week.

"Since I live in an earthquake zone, I am used to being shaken," said Kahramanmaras-based reporter Melisa Salman. "But that was the first time we have ever experienced anything like that," the 23-year-old told AFP. "We thought it was the apocalypse."

AFP

"Please help them, please"

¡°My grandson is 1 1/2 years old. Please help them, please. ¡­ They were on the 12th floor,¡± Imran Bahur wept by her destroyed apartment building in the Turkish city of Adana on Tuesday.

"We are hungry, we are thirsty. It's miserable"

In Kahramanmaras, north of Hatay, entire families gathered around fires and wrapped themselves in blankets to stay warm. ¡°We barely made it out of the house,¡± said Neset Guler, huddled around the fire with his four children. ¡°Our situation is a disaster. We are hungry, we are thirsty. It¡¯s miserable.¡±

AFP

"Race against time"

Raed al-Saleh of the Syrian White Helmets, a rescue service in rebel-held territory known for pulling people from the ruins of buildings destroyed by air strikes, said they were in ¡°a race against time to save the lives of those under the rubble.¡±