Cold and Precipitation Hindering Rescue Effort in Turkey and Syria

Posted: February 8, 2023 3:10 pm

The weather continues to complicate the search and rescue efforts in Turkey and Syria as responders work tirelessly to pull survivors out of the rubble left behind from a massive earthquake. The 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck in Turkey near the border with Syria early Monday morning.

As of Wednesday morning, local officials have confirmed at least 11,000 fatalities with the number sadly climbing each day. There are also nearly 50,000 reports of injuries, putting an unbearable strain on medical care facilities in the region. Here is a look at the weather forecast for this corner of the world.

Snow, Rain, and Cold Hampers Earthquake Rescue Efforts

Mother Nature is handing search and rescue crews a blow this week with the window for finding survivors quickly closing. The initial quake happened under the cover of darkness, sending people out of their homes into the cold and snow. The sun came up shortly after the first quake, however, at least 100 aftershocks impacted the region in the hours following. Snow turned into a steady rain near the epicenter of the earthquake in Gaziantep, making it more difficult to rescue survivors in the initial hours after the tragedy.

The cold weather is also presenting massive problems. According to a spokesperson for UNICEF, thousands of homes were destroyed as a result of the earthquake and its aftershocks. This has displaced families and sent them into the streets as temperatures regularly fall below freezing. Complicating the problem is the fact that many of the typical areas used for shelters during a natural disaster, such as schools and hospitals, were also destroyed or damaged.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is warning that the snow and rain blanketing the area is making it more difficult to ferry in supplies. Temperatures are forecast to drop to about 4 – 8 degrees below normal average for this time of the year. This translates to daytime highs in the low 40s for the area near the epicenter. The average temperature for the middle of February is near 50 degrees.

Overnight lows will plunge into the mid 20s for the next few days with real feel readings hitting even lower. It will be even colder in areas to the west, including the cities of Kayseri and Ankara. High temperatures will struggle to eclipse the freezing mark in this part of Turkey.

It is believed that some of the victims died from the freezing temperatures rather than the initial impact. The cold is also hampering the ability of rescue crews to sift through the rubble by hand. The clock is ticking on the rescue efforts. The first 72 hours after a natural disaster is considered to be the limit in which you can expect to find survivors.

Looking Ahead to the Week’s Forecast

The good news in the weather forecast is that conditions are expected to remain dry for the rest of the week. This will undoubtedly help rescuers and those bringing in aid to the battered region.

Turkey is using hotels in the city of Antalya to house survivors looking for shelter from the weather. In addition, aid organizations have sent thousands of tents and beds to the areas most in need. According to local officials, nearly 400,000 Turkish people are now being housed in shelters or hotels. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a state of emergency for at least three months across the 10 most impacted provinces in order to keep resources flowing into these communities.

The primary airport serving the impacted region was forced to suspend operations after the quake severely damaged the only runway. This is also making it more difficult to send supplies to those most in need.

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