SW News: After a prominent hospital in Turkey's quake-ravaged Antakya was flattened, noted US Christian charity Samaritan's Purse set up a 52-bed emergency field hospital in the city to bring solace to the wounded and sick. Tens of thousands of people require medical attention, and over 40,000 people died there in the quake.

Samaritan's Purse reported on Monday that in the first few hours after the field hospital opened, doctors and nurses had seen dozens of patients. The charity will also bring supplies to the most-impacted areas, including tarps, blankets, and solar lights. More than 100 Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) personnel will be stationed locally by the organization to assist in hospitals and other areas of need.

Deputy Chairman of the Republican People's Party and Istanbul Deputy Dr. Gamze Akkuş İlgezdi stated that after the earthquake, the survivors had great difficulties accessing clean water and hygiene material. She said, “Due to the quake-related infrastructure damage, the absence of clean drinking and utility water, the inability to collect trash, the disruption of immunization programs, and the cold weather, there is a significant risk. Tetanus measures, including immunization, should be taken for tuberculosis patients. Drug use shouldn't be stopped, and regular follow-up should be guaranteed.”

“Precautions should be taken to prevent any problems related to Cholera, considering the proximity of the earthquake region, especially Hatay, to Syria. The danger of cholera in the region must be eliminated,” said İlgezdi. The effects of the earthquake went beyond Syria and Turkey.

Aftershocks from the earthquake in Turkey and Syria were felt by residents of Lebanon, who were asked to leave their homes and buildings, especially those that had been damaged by the August 2020 explosion in Beirut. In the middle of a terrible snowstorm in the area, inhabitants have reportedly been forced to leave their houses, according to a statement from the Christian organization St. Rafka Mission of Hope and Mercy.