The news about an apocalyptic terrible earthquake in Turkey came to me. The catastrophic earthquake isn't other people's affairs to us Japanese. I am reminded of the Han-Shin Awaji Earthquake disaster in 1995. I was dispatched to the worst affected area from my hospital just after the quake. As most roads and ports were destroyed, my rescue team was sent by a fishing boat. Japan is subject to some of the worst extreme weather and seismic activities in the world, but it has sort of strong bonds between unfamiliar individuals. My colleagues covered my absence at that time. The medical personnel both those who were sent to the affected area and those who stayed behind were likewise struggling to save people in chaos.
The dispatch of surgical staff reduced its scale in about two weeks and then the internist-centered rescue teams were intensified. Following them, psychiatrists, counselors, and school teachers were sent. The army delivered drinkable water and also provided public baths. It is crucially important to prevent the spread of infectious illnesses like dysentery, cholera, and so on. Can these rescue activities be performed in Turkey? As far as I can see in news items or uploaded pictures on the net, the rescue and backup for victims seems to be very slow.
Buildings were apparently easily destroyed in the earthquake. They seem to have been made with flimsy materials. Judging from news items in Japan, food supply is barely done. As my assistance for the moment, I donated some money to an NPO which plans to send blankets and generators to Turkey.
One more thing. I've expected the mediation between Russia and Ukraine by the Turkish President Erdogan. I'm afraid that he would get his hands full with hard graft recovering from the country's catastrophic disaster.
(Vocabulary)
apocalyptic この世の終わりのような、不吉な、悲惨な；(新約聖書で予言されたような) 終末論的な
flimsy
〈布・服などが〉 薄っぺらな
〈機器・建物などが〉 (構造的に) もろい
〈根拠などが〉 薄弱な, 説得力のない, 〈口実などが〉 見え透いた
mediation 調停, 仲裁
hard graft 大変な苦労
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