Quake toll rises to 20 as rescuers search rubble
Source: Agencies |
November 12, 2011, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE death toll from the second earthquake to hit eastern Turkey in about two weeks rose to 20 yesterday as rescue teams clawed through rubble searching for two journalists believed to be trapped in a collapsed hotel.
Colleagues of the two reporters from Turkey's Dogan news agency were among dozens of people waiting for news outside the wreckage of the Bayram Hotel, one of the two hotels that fell apart when the 5.7-magnitude quake hit the eastern city of Van late on Wednesday.
Journalists and relief workers, who had come to the region in the aftermath of a more powerful earthquake on October 23, became victims themselves when the hotel, weakened by the earlier quake, collapsed on Wednesday.
The fatalities include a Japanese relief worker who came to distribute aid to quake survivors.
It is not known how many people remained buried under the two collapsed hotels.
Disaster management official Askit Dayi said: "We are removing layers of concrete as if there are survivors."
He said search efforts could end by midnight yesterday.
Recep Salci, of rescue group Akut, said freezing temperatures at night posed a threat to survivors.
Rescue teams are studying an emergency evacuation plan to determine escape routes within the flattened building. Bulent Gunduz, of the Siemens rescue team, said: "We can see all escape routes and fire stairs. The emergency floor plan has become like a compass for us."
Angry residents protested in Van, accusing authorities of failing to inspect the buildings properly following the first quake that killed more than 600 people.
Colleagues of the two reporters from Turkey's Dogan news agency were among dozens of people waiting for news outside the wreckage of the Bayram Hotel, one of the two hotels that fell apart when the 5.7-magnitude quake hit the eastern city of Van late on Wednesday.
Journalists and relief workers, who had come to the region in the aftermath of a more powerful earthquake on October 23, became victims themselves when the hotel, weakened by the earlier quake, collapsed on Wednesday.
The fatalities include a Japanese relief worker who came to distribute aid to quake survivors.
It is not known how many people remained buried under the two collapsed hotels.
Disaster management official Askit Dayi said: "We are removing layers of concrete as if there are survivors."
He said search efforts could end by midnight yesterday.
Recep Salci, of rescue group Akut, said freezing temperatures at night posed a threat to survivors.
Rescue teams are studying an emergency evacuation plan to determine escape routes within the flattened building. Bulent Gunduz, of the Siemens rescue team, said: "We can see all escape routes and fire stairs. The emergency floor plan has become like a compass for us."
Angry residents protested in Van, accusing authorities of failing to inspect the buildings properly following the first quake that killed more than 600 people.
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