Peaceland Foundation in action| Emergency responses in Turkey

On February 9, Peaceland Foundation’s rescue team to Turkey set off from Beijing Capital International Airport; on February 10, they arrived at the earthquake-stricken Hatay province and started rescue work immediately.

In 4 days or 96 hours, the team rescued 1 survivor; found and relocated 31 bodies under 1500 square meters of collapsed debris. On the 11th, 13 bodies were found and relocated; on the 12th, one survivor was pulled out and nine bodies were relocated; on the 13th, five bodies were relocated; on the 14th, four bodies were relocated.

By 12:30 on February 10, the team arrived in Gaziantep and got in touch with the Turkish Disaster And Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD); the team coordinated with the United Nations Reception/Departures Centre to register the basic information of the rescue team members. The team then drove to Hatay and arrived at the Hatay rescue base camp at 18:40 to meet up with the Chinese rescue teams. After coordination, Peaceland set up its own rescue camp and officially launched the rescue work.

By 11:00 on February 11, Peaceland headed to Antakya, Hatay Province to carry out relief work. Antakya was the hardest hit city, with buildings, streets, and other infrastructure severely damaged, and collapsed houses and tiles were seen everywhere. After communicating with the surrounding residents and other teams, Peaceladn focused on several selected rescue sites to undertake rescue work.

The team was divided into two three-person subteams for digging operations. Subteam 1 located seven bodies of victims in the rubble and subteam 2 located six bodies of victims. In the meantime, the rescue team was in close collaboration with partners to carry out rescue work based on evidence of potential survivors provided by local residents.

At 11:50 on February 12, the Peaceland rescue team and the local fire department collaboratively rescued a female survivor.  Subteam 1 found the body of one female adult victim at the same location. By the end of the operation, five bodies were found at this site. Subteam 2 was able to locate four bodies, three adults and one child, at two rescue sites.

On February 13, subteam 1 arrived at the same operation site as yesterday. The subteam verified the number of missing persons and bodies of victims and confirmed the site had been fully searched. The team then moved to the operation site of subteam 2 to assist.

At 11:30, a local Turkish mine rescue team member went to the site to seek equipment assistance. Subteam 1 then coordinated with the Beijing Emergency Rescue Team and brought a sonar detector to the location where help was sought. Upon arrival, it was found that multiple rescue teams were already implementing rescue operations at the operation site; the team then coordinated assistance and withdrew from the site.

At 15:10, 100 meters to the East of the site, the team encounters local people seeking help where the bodies of two victims, one adult male, and one child, were buried in multiple layers of superimposed floor. After 4 hours of rescue work, the two victims were extracted from the rubble. By the end of the day, subteam 2 found three bodies and relocated accordingly.

on February 14, subteam 1 arrived at yesterday's operation site to confirm that the point does not have remaining rescue work or residents seeking help; the team then headed to subteam 2’s site of operation. On the way and 50 meters south of the second group's operation location, a local resident sought help for the nine family members who were buried inside the collapsed building.

At 10:20, subteam 1 started demolition and rescue work. Because of operational difficulties, subteam 2 joined to assist. At 15:40, the team found the first victim who was later confirmed to be deceased. By 18:30, the team concluded the rescue operation of the day and withdrew from the site.

On the day, the team found and relocated the bodies of four victims, three adults, and one teenager.

Ninety-six hours of searching in the rubble and the broken tiles, day and night, is for the hope of life and the dignity of the victims.