FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-EMERGENCYNET NEWS-02/02/92-1300CST

MORE THAN 100 `GENDARMES' DEAD IN GORMEC, TURKEY
By Amy Grant, Medical Correspondent

ANKARA, TURKEY - A series of devastating avalanches have engulfed several villages in Southeast turkey, killing a total of at least 142 people. Included in that total are as many as 104 paramilitary police officers that were stationed there to protect Kurds from a possible Iraqi attack.

Rescue workers from all over the country of Turkey and several European agencies have been attempting to gain access to several remote villages. The villages of Gormec and Tunekpiner were buried by a major snow slide late Friday, and other villages and roads have been struck during the weekend. Blizzard conditions and high winds have continued in the area of the disaster, preventing a more timely ground response to those still buried under the tons of snow. Reports were received that as much as 10 feet of snow covers area roadways.

On Saturday, a U.S. C-130 Aircraft with U.S. Military rescue and medical workers was dispatched from the joint U.S./Turkey Incirlik Air Force Bases. Two "Blackhawk" medical evacuation helicopters were also dispatched to the scene, but they were twice forced back to their base by high winds and blinding snow. U.S. Brigader General Glenn Profitt was appointed as the joint task force rescue coordinator. He was quoted as saying that no expense or effort would be spared to attempt to minimize the loss of life.

According to Deputy Governor Nurettin Guven, more than 150 people are still reported missing in the village of Gormec. Eleven people have also been killed in the village of Altikemer, with several more reported missing. Unofficial reports are also being received of similar circumstances in places like; Ortakler, Yuksesekova, and Uludere, Turkey. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Erdal Inonu is reportedly at the scene of one of the avalanches and has been quoted as saying that he believes that the death toll will rise.

According to Clark Staten, Executive Director of the Chicago- based Emergency Response & Research Institute, the problem is three-fold. "The rescue problem is compounded by accessing the area in a timely manner", Staten said. "Then the perplexity is one of a `building collapse' type rescue, which would normally require large numbers of overhead cranes and earthmovers... unfortunately the roads can't support that traffic", he continued. "Finally, there is the problem of hypothermia...due to the fact that temperatures in the area have fallen to 5 degrees above zero... overnight", the veteran paramedic added. "The rescuers have an extremely demanding challenge ahead of them because of these circumstances", Staten said.

"As if that were not bad enough, the snow slides continue...and there is more snow forecast for the area within the next 24 hours", he continued. "I understand that there was at least a brief window of clear weather, that did allow several helicopters to gain entry to the area...reports indicate that they do have some assets `on-the-ground' near the sight of several of the slides", Staten added. "It is certainly worthwhile to continue and, if possible, accelerate
rescue efforts... as resources permit", he said.

"The likelihood of successful rescue continues for as much as seventy-two (72) hours or longer, following earthquakes or avalanches, people can still be alive in `voids' created by the falling building materials and natural obstacles", he added. "Historically, several survivors have been found during the third day of rescue efforts...therefore, maximum efforts need to be expended as rapidly as possible to increase the chances of those still entrapped", Staten concluded.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-EMERGENCYNET NEWS SVC.-03/16/92-1030CST

MORE THAN 1,000 DEAD - SECOND EARTHQUAKE ROCKS TURKEY, CALL FOR INTERNATIONAL "RESCUE STRIKE FORCE"
By Paul Anderson

Erzincan, Turkey - A second devastating earthquake has struck the country of Turkey within the last three days. The latest disaster adds to the death toll of a country that has suffered the ravages of the Persian Gulf War, recently was the site of several deadly avalanches, and now has suffered two earthquakes that have taken hundreds of lives.

The first quake struck Eastern Turkey on Friday. It measured approximately 6.3 on the Richter scale. Hundreds and even thousands of people were trapped and feared killed by hundreds of buildings that had collapsed. According to an Associated Press (AP) report, an international Red Cross Spokesman was quoted as saying that as many as 4,000 people may have been killed by the initial "rumble". The country's Prime Minister Suleyman Demirel, declined to give an exact death toll, but was quoted as saying; "I'm afraid that the death toll will increase dramatically".

Several "aftershocks" continued on Saturday, as frantic rescue efforts continued. As with the rescue of those trapped by avalanches and building collapses in February, the rescue efforts were hampered by a lack of heavy lifting equipment that was needed to properly rescue those buried under the rubble. Dozens and hundreds of people were known trapped, but many were still thought alive.

Reportedly, a local television reporter, walked into the rubble of a local medical school and shouted to ascertain if there were any survivors. Astoundingly, according to television watchers, a voice answered and called for help. Rescuers immediately responded and began to dig for the trapped person. Three medical students were found dead at that location, and twenty-six (26) were known trapped. Rescuers estimated that as many sixty (60) students were in the area of the building collapse at the time of the earthquake.

Disaster officials said that by Saturday as many as 30,000 people were homeless and without food or shelter, due to the number of buildings that had fallen. Construction experts reasoned that many of the buildings in that region of Turkey were not strongly built and that they were susceptible to easy destruction by earth tremors. Engineers say that many more buildings in Eastern Turkey should be considered "unstable" and that additional collapses are likely as rescue efforts continue.

Sadly, on Sunday, an additional smaller quake rattled the Tunceli province of Turkey and caused the collapse of many additional buildings. An official agency of the United Nations, the Office of Disaster Relief Coordination, said that as many as 800 people could be confirmed as being deceased, with the toll likely to climb as figures from outlying towns and villages were recieved. Rescue efforts were centered on several cities, where tall buildings with
multiple stories, had collapsed on people in ground floor restaurants and shops.

Local police officials were quoted as saying that the rescuers didn't have the heavy cranes and endloaders that were needed to get to those people that were known trapped. The policeman was quoted as saying that rescuers were only using "vertical-lift" (cranes) machinery when it involved the prospect of rescuing several people at once. According to rescuers, approximately 60 U.S. Military personnel from the Incirlik Air Force Base responded to the scene and brought clothes, blankets, food and medical supplies for those striken by the quake.

Onlookers noted, however, that sophisticated rescue equipment and techniques that are common in Western societies were not available to the dedicated, but ill-trained and equipped men that labored by hand to extricate those trapped. Cable News Network (CNN) reports showed hundreds of people digging with handtools, and often just their hands, to assist those buried by tons of concrete. The futility and frustration of this method of rescue clearly showed on the faces of rescuers and family members alike.

Clark Staten, Executive Director of the Chicago-based Emergency Response & Research Institute, said; "This incident again points out the need for an internationally accepted and accredited rescue `Strike Force' that could be sent anywhere in the world within hours". "Following Earthquakes in Mexico, the Ukraine, San Francisco and elsewhere...and coupled with avalanche rescues in Turkey and mudslides in Jerusalem, it is obvious that we must develop the wherewithal to rapidly provide the expertise and resources of many talented rescue experts from the United States and elsewhere", the paramedic and rescue supervisor said.

"The concept of rapidly deploying large numbers of men and vast amounts of equipment has been shown feasible by our military during recent years...the technological capability of supporting a large rescue effort is of a similar nature", Staten continued. "We strongly suggest the formulation of and support for the idea of developing an internationally available "Rescue Strike Force" that could respond almost instantly to assist those countries that requested it", the former chairman of the National Society of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Administrators said.

"This idea could easily `dovetail' into a program that is already in progress and being by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA)...it is called `Urban Search and Rescue'(USAR) and designed to fulfill the exact needs of the type of incident that has just happened in Turkey", he continued. "By increasing the magnitude of the resources and providing (military) airlift capability to the USAR teams, a "Rescue Strike Force" could be quickly configured and sent to the area needing help", the veteran emergency manager said.

"In order not to burden the governments that are providing resources and personnel, it is also suggested that the `host' country, that needs the rescue support, provide as much of the cost of the rescue as it financially can afford", Staten continued. "At this time of the downsizing of our military, this would seem the ideal opportunity for the United States to demonstrate our commitment to the saving of lives and to provide our talents and expertise to those nations that really need it", he concluded.

(c) EmergencyNet NEWS Service, 1992. All rights reserved.
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