Hatay- Earthquake survivors struggle to survive in tent cities or greenhouses in the Samandağı district of Hatay hit by three major earthquakes since February 6. The earthquake survivors who want to set up tents in front of their houses cannot find tents while the earthquake survivors living in the tent cities set up by Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) face many problems. The rubble from buildings destroyed by the earthquakes is stored near the tent city set up by the coast.

Earthquake survivor breathe dust rising from rubble

Every day, trucks unload the rubble from buildings destroyed by the earthquakes near the tent city. The earthquake survivors living in the tent city have to stay in tents for hours due to the dust rising from the rubble. The earthquake survivors have already filed a complaint to stop the unloading of the rubble near the tent city. There are fears that the rubble causes diseases in the tent city, where children, women and old people live. “The earthquakes did not kill us but this dust will kill us,” said Leyla Gümüş, an earthquake survivor.

Leyla Gümüş wants to set up a tent near her house to protect her children from the dust; however, she is not given a tent. “I have children and want to protect them. The rubble must be unloaded somewhere else. The rubble may cause many diseases. Our children have already suffered from cough and diarrhea. My mother has been in the hospital for two days. They (authorities) should change the location of the tent city or stop trucks unloading the rubble near the tent city. Bathrooms and toilets are also a serious problem here. There are thousands of people here, but there are several toilets and bathrooms. People wait hours to use toilets and bathrooms.”