VAN - While the death toll rises to 9 due to the earthquake of magnitude 5.9 in the borderline of Turkey and Iran, 9 out of the 39 injured citizens' health condition remains critical. Citizens said that rescue crews came to help two hours after the earthquake.

Due to the earthquake of magnitude 5.9 which occured on the borderline of Turkey and Iran, the number of people died in the earthquake has risen to 9. It was announced by the Ministry of Health that the health status of 9 of the 37 people who are injured in the earthquake remains critical. One of the earthquake-struck zones is Van's Özpınar (Elbîs) Neighborhood which has 200 buildings and more than 60 houses made of mudbricks and stones were collapsed while 8 people, 4 of whom were children, who got under the wreckage, lost their lives. It was stated that 5 out of 8 people who lost their lives was a citizen named Reis Fırat and his 4 children. Hundreds of animals died as a result of heavy collapse in the neighborhood. Tents have begun to be built in the neighborhood where all the houses have collapsed. Saying that they had waited for the rescue crew for two hours after the earthquake, the residents of the neighborhood states that the rescue crews have arrived late and they needed to help and rescue the people who got stuck under the wreckages by their own means. The citizens have stated that the number of people who lost their lives would be higher.

HUNDREDS OF ANIMALS UNDER WRECKAGE

In Güvendik Neighborhood, it was stated that 1 person lost their lives due to getting stuck under the wreckage and dozens of citizens has been hospitalized. While almost all the houses in the neighborhood have become unusable, citizens are not allowed to enter their houses. Debris removal work has been continuing in the neighborhood as hundreds of animals were also reported to have died under wreckage.

TRANSPORTATION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD UNDER HARSH CIRCUMSTANCES

Another zone where the earthquake has highly affected is Güvenler Neighborhood, where many houses collapsed and many people, who were injured due to being stuck under the wreckages have been transferred to hospitals. Tents are being set up for citizens in the neighborhood, where debris removal work continues. Access to the neighborhood is difficult due to the traffic density caused by the hundreds of vehicles of the families who heard about the incident and have been trying to reach their relatives.