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Iran’s contributions to Turkey’s quake-stricken Van Prov continue

Iran Materials 15 November 2011 04:13 (UTC +04:00)
Islamic Republic of Iran’s humanitarian contributions to earthquake stricken residents of Turkey’s Van Province still continues, IRNA reported.
Iran’s contributions to Turkey’s quake-stricken Van Prov continue

Islamic Republic of Iran's humanitarian contributions to earthquake stricken residents of Turkey's Van Province still continues, IRNA reported.

According to an IRNA Monday report, the last consignment of the Iranian Red Crescent Society for the quake stricken people of Van who are now also faced with serious problems due to the cold weather in their region, keeping in mind that they are in dire need of heating facilities and tents, is inclusive of one thousand tents and 700 heaters, which were delivered to the provincial officials for distribution among the quake victims.

The Islamic Republic of Iran Red Crescent Society (ICRC) also in a meeting with their counterparts at the Turkish ICRC announced their readiness for forwarding greater contributions to the quake stricken Van Province residents, in accordance with the announced demands of that organ.

Two powerful earthquakes that struck eastern Turkey have left a city of half a million a virtual ghost town, with some 650 people killed, and survivors need relief aid desperately, a local official said Monday.

A 7.2 Richter quake last month and a magnitude-5.7 Richter quake last week flattened some 2,000 buildings, killed 644 people and left thousands homeless in the eastern Turkish province of Van, where an unusually cold November is forcing survivors to endure even more suffering.

Very few state-owned buildings in the provincial capital, also called Van, survived the quake, provincial Governor Munir Karaloglu told the state-run Anatolia news agency.

Many residents have fled because they fear going back into their homes even if they are not damaged.

"It is a ghost city," said Karaloglu. "Almost none of the buildings are in use."

Karaloglu called on the country to show "even more mercy" in the face of mounting needs, ranging from housing to food and warm clothing.

The remaining quake homeless were suffering through unseasonably frosty weather. The Anatolia agency cited weather officials as saying Monday that temperatures dipped as low as -15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight in the town of Ercis, which was the worst hit by the first quake.
The HaberTurk newspaper reported that a 7-year-old handicapped girl who had been living in makeshift tent died of pneumonia in Ercis on Sunday. Her father claimed that he could not obtain a proper tent from authorities, the newspaper report.
Several countries have sent in tents and prefabricated homes.

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