According to Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), 38 people died in the provinces of Elazığ and Malatya in a severe earthquake that hit Northern Kurdistan on Friday evening. In Elazığ, Malatya, Maraş, Amed, Urfa, Adıyaman and Batman more than 1,600 people were injured. The search for buried people continues, but is made more difficult by aftershocks. So far 599 aftershocks have been registered. According to AFAD, 72 buildings have been destroyed, 514 buildings show severe damage, 409 light or medium damage. But there is still hope. During the night, a survivor was recovered from the rubble of her apartment after 28 hours.

 

The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) set up a crisis team immediately after the earthquake. A delegation of the party is staying in the earthquake area to evaluate the damage of the quake and to organise support for the people. So far, the local crisis coordination team has been able to reach about sixty villages in Sivrice and Maden districts. According to the HDP, these villages are those that the state and the government have not reached, or where aid has been distributed by the local AKP chairperson only to the supporters of the party. The only things that have reached the affected villages are biscuits. "But the ruling AKP party is not allowing non-governmental organisations to help into the disaster area," stresses the HDP. "This is an obstruction of the solidarity that sprouted everywhere after the quake."

 

The Erdoğan government is putting the brakes on aid for earthquake victims instead of fulfilling its obligation to support those in need, says the HDP. "The country's Interior Minister has voiced threats and announced legal measures against individuals who express critical views on social networks. Now he is preventing relief supplies from reaching those in need.

 

Truckloads full of relief supplies collected by our party, our municipalities, provincial and district councils are stopped and sent back by security forces. Tents, blankets, food and other supplies urgently needed by those in need cannot reach the disaster area. However, the situation remains catastrophic, with thousands of people waiting for help, according to research by our delegation. The government must allow offers of aid instead of sticking to its narrow-minded power games and preventing solidarity. Pain is pain for us all."