Jeanne Joulaud (in Turkey) / Photo credit: METIN PALA / ANADOLU AGENCY / ANADOLU AGENCY VIA AFP
Southern Turkey has to fight several fires in a region already hard hit by last winter’s earthquake, six months after an earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people. The same images of people looking for shelter, the same feeling of abandonment. The inhabitants have the impression of experiencing a new catastrophe.
Extreme heat also affects Turkey. Fires broke out in several cities across the country. In Hatay, a region affected by the earthquake of February 6, several hundred hectares burned and houses went up in smoke. For the inhabitants, it is a second disaster difficult to bear.
“The earthquake, and now this fire…”
From the heights of the city, Ali watches his house go up in smoke. This father had settled there after leaving his apartment destroyed by the earthquake and despairs of seeing his life capsize a second time. “The flames started right there. And in 10-15 minutes, the whole forest started to burn. It’s terrible… The earthquake, and now this fire”, he testifies.
Next to him, a woman sitting on the sidewalk holds her head in her hands. His eyes are red with smoke, ashes and tears. “My house is near the flames, and my father and my sister are still stuck there. My whole family came to take refuge in my house after the earthquake. And now it’s all going up in smoke. Do we have any escape from death? ” she wonders.
“No one helps us anymore”
Suddenly, a group gathers around the firefighters. Within 30 minutes, only two helicopters were deployed. As after the earthquake, many residents here feel abandoned. “We are already in a difficult situation. We do not receive any support, neither water nor food. We have to take our showers with dirty water, infected with diseases. No one helps us anymore,” says this resident.
This weekend, the 40 degree mark was exceeded in the south of the country. Unbearable heat for the 2.5 million victims who still live in tents.