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Trucks carrying much-needed aid to earthquake survivors in eastern Turkey have been raided by looters, according to the Turkish Red Crescent.
At least 17 lorries carrying tents, blankets and food have been intercepted by looters as the country struggles to feed and shelter tens of thousands of people in the worst-hit areas of the Van province.
One truck en route to Van city centre was stopped and looted during a live broadcast on CNNTurk on Wednesday – with women and children among the raiders.
The looting comes as aid workers scramble to get emergency supplies to victims of the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in freezing temperatures and snowfall in the mountainous region.
At least 3,000 buildings have collapsed or been damaged in the area leaving as many as 600,000 people homeless.
[Gallery: Turkey earthquake in photos]
Van’s deputy mayor spoke about the scenes during CNNTurk broadcast, saying that gangs formed around the city after the devastating earthquake and that “none of the people involved looked like locals” to him.
Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan acknowledged problems in the effort to help the victims in the first 24 hours after the quake.
The death toll from Monday’s earthquake now stands at 500.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/aid-trucks-looted-in-quake-hit-turkey.html
At least 17 lorries carrying tents, blankets and food have been intercepted by looters as the country struggles to feed and shelter tens of thousands of people in the worst-hit areas of the Van province.
One truck en route to Van city centre was stopped and looted during a live broadcast on CNNTurk on Wednesday – with women and children among the raiders.
The looting comes as aid workers scramble to get emergency supplies to victims of the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in freezing temperatures and snowfall in the mountainous region.
At least 3,000 buildings have collapsed or been damaged in the area leaving as many as 600,000 people homeless.
[Gallery: Turkey earthquake in photos]
Van’s deputy mayor spoke about the scenes during CNNTurk broadcast, saying that gangs formed around the city after the devastating earthquake and that “none of the people involved looked like locals” to him.
Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan acknowledged problems in the effort to help the victims in the first 24 hours after the quake.
The death toll from Monday’s earthquake now stands at 500.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/aid-trucks-looted-in-quake-hit-turkey.html
