Municipalities, universities across Turkey mobilize to assist quake victims

Municipalities, universities across Turkey mobilize to assist quake victims

As search and rescue efforts continued Monday following a 7.2-magnitude earthquake in southeastern Turkey's province of Van, local municipalities and universities across Turkey mobilized to assist quake victims.

Fifteen district municipalities in Turkey's largest city Istanbul have set up hotlines and assistance desks to gather donations from citizens and dispatch them to Van, the Turkish Dogan news agency reported.

Collections include blankets, potable water, basic foodstuffs and other urgently needed materials.

Eight universities in Istanbul have also set up special operations to gather and deliver aid to those in need in Van province. Blood donations are also being collected on university campuses.

The latest death toll from the 7.2 quake that struck Van province is reported to be 213. Reports are also coming in of victims being rescued alive from under the rubbles of collapsed buildings nearly 24 hours after the quake.

A total of 213 aftershocks were recorded into early hours of Monday in the wake of the 7.2-magnitude earthquake.

Turkey, lying atop the North Anatolian fault, has been plagued by earthquakes frequently. On March 8, 2010, at least 38 people died and dozens of others injured after a 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit the Elazig province in eastern Turkey. On Aug. 17, 1999, two powerful earthquakes, measuring 6.7 and 7.4 on the Richter scale respectively, hit northwestern and western Turkey, killing about 18,000 people and affecting hundreds of thousands of others.

A major earthquake hit Van province in November 1976, with 5, 291 confirmed dead. The province has a population of just over 1 million.

Editor: Bi Mingxin


English.news.cn   2011-10-24 18:08:20 FeedbackPrintRSS
ISTANBUL, Oct. 24 (Xinhua)