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White Helmets volunteers evacuate the dead in Salqin, west of the city of Idlib, Syria. Photo/twitter/White Helmets
IDLIB – The Syrian Civil Defense Group called for additional search and rescue (SAR) equipment. They described the situation in rebel-held northwest Syria as “tragic” and permeated with the “smell of death”.
“The situation is tragic in every way. Unfortunately, hundreds of families are still under the rubble,” said volunteer Asim Al-Yahya, according to a tweet from the group also known as the White Helmets.
“As rescue efforts crossed the 72 hour mark, there was a major shortage of search and rescue equipment,” he said.
In a separate tweet, the White Helmets said, “Death looms over the neighborhood of Salqin. The smell of death is everywhere.” Salqin is a town west of Idlib city.
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Meanwhile, for many Syrians living in Gaziantep, southeastern Turkey, the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on Monday has evoked traumatic memories of the 12-year war in their homeland.
Gaziantep is about 33 km east of the epicenter of the first earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter Scale (SR) which destroyed the city and its surroundings.
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Many survivors lost their homes and lived in emergency shelters in open spaces.
“We thought that living across the border would lead us to a safe place,” said Ahmad al-Rifai, 21, originally from Aleppo.
