As the hours have turned into days, following the quake, the extent of the devastation is becoming clearer. The authorities have confirmed 366 fatalities, with well over a thousand people injured and missing. Over 2,000 buildings were destroyed in Van and surrounding towns and villages. The village of Erciş appears to have been particularly badly affected.The Turkish Red Crescent organisation has been involved in bringing relief to the survivors, whilst the Turkish emergency services have been working day and night to locate those trapped in collapsed buildings. Rescuers today pulled a pregnant woman and her two children alive from the rubble 35 hours after the devastating earthquake. Search teams working round the clock also pulled police a officer and his wife from the wreckage of a public building. And just a few hours ago a 14day old baby girl, the baby's mother and grandmother were resued from the rubble. Residents meanwhile spent a second night outside in freezing temperatures.With night-time temperatures expected to dip to two degrees Celsius (36 fahrenheit) and snow forecast for Wednesday, residents took shelter anywhere they could, some in cars, tents and others under just a blanket.
Yesterday Knitting Galore put out a plea for knitted squares to make blankets and knitted hats, scarfs and gloves. The Turkish women of Kuşadasi came through magnificently and I have just packaged up 40 blankets, 25 hats and about 15 scarfs.
The parcels have now gone to Ksşadasi PTT (post office) who will deliver aid parcels free of charge to Van. We are still knitting but felt there was an urgency to get the first lot off to help now.
Keep 'em Comming!
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