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Survivors and medics criticize government for lack of adequate sanitation facilities in camps for displaced people. Unhygienic conditions in these places boost the spread of infections. Yasemin Astan, her husband, Hasan, and their five children managed to escape their home in Antakya, in Hatay province, in southern Turkey, before it was destroyed by the earthquake that devastated the region on February 6 and left more than 46,000 dead. Now, she lives in a tent.
Two days after the tragedy that hit Turkey and Syria, camps were set up to house survivors who lost their homes. However, the hygiene conditions in these places worry the victims.
“A chemical toilet was placed across the street. But it’s almost impossible to see anything at night and it’s very difficult to walk. How can I leave my children alone here and walk all this distance in the dark to go to the bathroom?” Astan points out.
Astan’s family shares the tent with other survivors. In all, 13 people live in it, including nine children, despite the limited space. In addition to criticism of official efforts to prevent earthquake damage, Turks say the government’s response to the tragedy is inadequate.
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