Cold weather in the earthquake zone increases the risk of hypothermia

On February 6 at 04:17 am, one of the strongest earthquakes in the history of Turkey occurred in the Pazardzhik region of Kahramanmaras. An earthquake of magnitude 7.7 occurred in Kilis, Diyarbakir, Adana, Osmaniye, Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Adiyaman, Malatya and Hatay in the country; abroad, it also affected Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, the Greek Cypriot administration and Iraq. 9 hours after the first earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7, another earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6 occurred. After these terrible earthquakes, in which thousands of people died, efforts to rescue our citizens, trapped under the rubble, continue. However, for the victims of the earthquake, struggling with adverse weather conditions, there was a danger of hypothermia.

Our citizens are struggling with sub-zero frosts

Unfortunately, there is still a shortage of blankets, food, water and medical supplies in the earthquake zone. Given the current winter conditions, this gap needs to be closed as soon as possible.

The situation of the victims of the earthquake and the measures to be taken, the head of the cardiology department of the Kadikoy Medicana hospital, prof. Dr. Bengi Basher and Secretary General of the Istanbul Medical Chamber Prof. Dr. Osman Küçukosmanoğlu explains. “If you do not intervene; If things like blankets are not provided to keep the body warm, they will freeze to death. Food is also needed. Food and water must be provided.”

Body temperature should not fall below 35

Basher and Küçukosmanoğlu stress that hypothermia is a medical emergency. Doctors say that unprotected contact with cold is dangerous for the body. Under normal conditions, 36.5-37 body temperature drops below 35, which is life-threatening.

Keep people warm until medical help arrives

Initial symptoms of hypothermia may include tremors, fatigue, fainting, confusion, slurred speech, and lethargy. People with these symptoms should be moved to a warm place or covered until medical help arrives. Especially if he is wearing wet clothes, they should be removed.

“Start Freeze”

Cardiovascular Specialist Prof. Dr. Bengi Basher says that if the body temperature falls below 36 degrees, the risk of “hypothermia” begins. He adds that at 35 degrees the condition can end in death.

“This is the beginning of a freeze. The bodily functions, especially the cardiovascular (cardiovascular) system and nervous system, become inoperable and the person dies.

“Field hospitals had to be set up immediately”

Speaking about what happened in the earthquake zone, prof. Dr. Basher said: “What does the collapse of the city hospital mean? Unacceptable. Field hospitals had to be set up immediately, it was too late. The army was supposed to be involved with all its strength, but there were no military doctors, but they (military doctors) were going to intervene, but who knows … The Istanbul Medical Chamber turned to the Ministry of Health and reported that more than 500 volunteer doctors wanted to go to the earthquake zone, but there is no answer yet, he has not arrived.”

“There is a delay in interventions”

General Secretary of the Istanbul Medical Chamber Prof. Dr. Osman Kuchukosmanoglu, prof. Dr. Adding to what Basher said, “After 24 hours, the work becomes very difficult, but the factors are effective depending on the age, general health and condition of the person under the rubble. But the chances of a person surviving under the rubble for more than a few days are very small,” he adds.

prof. Dr. Cucucosmanoglu says there is a lack of organization and delays in intervention. He states that time is wasted in many areas such as transportation, housing, heating.

“Waiting for news from the Ministry of Health”

prof. Dr. Osman Küçükosmanoğlu said that hundreds of doctors wanted to go to the area of ​​the earthquake voluntarily and that an application had been submitted to the Ministry of Health about this, but they were waiting for news.

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