Earthquake in Turkey: the EU civil protection unit on alert

(BRUSSELS2) The European civil protection system (MIC) has been on alert since the beginning of the earthquake in Turkey on Sunday (*). The Erdogan government had initially refused any international aid, considering that it did not need it. Faced with the intensity of the earthquake - there are nearly 500 dead, more than 1500 injured and above all some 200.000 homeless - they have just changed their minds and asked for international assistance. The European Union should also quickly send a team of European civil protection experts to coordinate European aid and carry out additional assessments. Other countries are mobilizing...

• Turkey was the victim of a major earthquake in the east of the country. The epicenter is located about twenty km northeast of the city of Van (380.000 inhabitants), with an estimated magnitude varying from 6,6 to 7,3 according to seismological institutes. The bottom of the range is assessed by the Kandilli Seismological Institute in Istanbul, the top by the American geophysical institute USGS, occurred on Sunday in eastern Turkey.

First needs : shelters

According to some reports, Turkey's first request for assistance is based on the possibility of having accommodation means to accommodate the many families who survived the earthquake and who are facing harsh climatic conditions. The temperature drops below 0°. We therefore need heated tents, beds, blankets... On the other hand, it would not seem necessary to have research teams in the event of an earthquake. The need is covered, underline the Turkish authorities.

Mobilization of Member States

Several countries have already responded. And others could do so within hours.

La France announced on Wednesday that it was preparing to send a humanitarian aid plane carrying a large batch of large family tents intended for the homeless. This " plane will be able to leave Paris on October 27 bound for Erzurum, the logistics center for relief, according to the planning defined by the Turkish authorities clarified the Quai d'Orsay.

La Belgium has already confirmed wanting to send “ as soon as possible » a team of about fifteen people from B'Fast enabling the setting up of a heated tent camp, able to accommodate around 2000 people.