The series of damaging earthquakes that shook Turkey and Syria has left people shocked and worried. With the initial shock being as high as a magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter scale, the aftermath in the affected countries has been seriously devastating. With the mounting death toll and the number of injured people, the epicentre is centred in southern Turkey, near the northern border of Syria. To help those in the need, the national carrier, Turkish Airlines (THY) announced free evacuation flights from Adana, Adıyaman, Gaziantep, Kayseri, Diyarbakır, Şanlıurfa, Malatya, Elazığ, and Kahramanmaraş provinces. Here’s more about this development.
Also Read: Turkey-Syria Earthquake: Dutch Researcher Predicted Earthquakes 3 Days Ago
Turkish Airlines Announces Free Evacuation Flights
Doing their bit to serve the people, late on Tuesday, announced free flights from Adana, Adıyaman, Gaziantep, Kayseri, Diyarbakır, Şanlıurfa, Malatya, Elazığ, and Kahramanmaraş provinces. This will help the people in the affected regions to escape the danger zone as the rescue process continues to be underway.
As the country continues to reel from the series of devastating earthquakes, it’s the sheer number of volunteers readily jumping to aid comes as a glimmer of hope during these trying times. So far, THY has flown thousands of volunteers to the affected cities, with the earthquakes originating from the southern province of Kahramanmaraş. The airlines had earlier fixed fares to allow reparation for the citizens residing in the region.
Also Read: Turkey-Syria Earthquake: Dutch Researcher Predicted Earthquakes 3 Days Ago
Volunteers Throng Istanbul Airport
The national carrier earlier fixed the fare at TL100 for seats on flights returning to Istanbul from Adana, Diyarbakır, Şanlıurfa, Elazığ, Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş, Adıyaman, and Malatya. Moreover, this price cap will last through the 13th of February. As such, it has also been engaged in the transportation of humanitarian aid along with search and rescue teams in coordination with AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Authority). However, severe weather conditions have hindered rescue operations in the region.
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Rescue Process Underway
With the death toll nearing 8000 as per the latest reports, tens of thousands have been injured. Authorities and volunteers are racing against time to rescue people in the affected region. The disastrous quake affected 10 provinces and also hit neighbouring Syria. These tremors toppled thousands of buildings, including both residential complexes and hospitals. As a result, many people have been left injured and homeless.
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