Iskenderun hospital was once a place where people came for treatment and recovery, but the earthquakes at the beginning of February turned it into ruins and tombs, writes the BBC.
The workers of the rescue teams by the ruins of the hospital said that there were about 300 people in the building at the time of the earthquake, and there is no information about how many survived. Anger is growing in the community, especially since many have seen the building’s assessment report from the Turkish Ministry of Health’s website. It states that the Iskenderun hospital has been declared unsafe in the event of an earthquake. The assessment was prepared in 2012, and there is no information about improvements.
The grandmother and brother of a local resident, Alican Kenar, were in the hospital when it collapsed. The grandmother’s remains were found only on the morning of the 14th of February, more than a week after the disaster. Kenar told the BBC:
«This is all the fault of a person or people, and the government, of course. It’s obvious, everyone can see that. It’s not destiny, this is fault.»
Many families are still waiting near the ruins, and people told the BBC they paid for the machinery and fuel themselves. For a few days, only teams of volunteers worked in the ruins. Kenar pointed out that rescuers sent by the government were also present in the first days after the disaster, but they were few and had no equipment.
While the BBC was at the collapsed Iskenderun hospital, representatives of the Turkish Emergency Services Center (AFAD) also arrived, but were met with anger. A woman shouted that people had been waiting for nine days. The AFAD representatives left.
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