HDP deputy Ali Kenanoğlu said, after returning from Hatay, that the tent problem is still not resolved.

More damaged buildings collapsed after the third earthquake on 20 February. Six people who re-entered their homes or were buried under the debris died. HDP Deputy Ali Kenanoğlu, who was in Hatay at the time of the earthquake, spoke to ANF.

Kenanoğlu said: “The earthquake on Monday evening marked two important points. The first is the absence of daylight and its short duration. Because when we wandered around the Hatay/Antakya region, the center and Samandağ in the daytime, the governor's office had given permission to enter the buildings for two hours so that people could take out their belongings. Therefore, people were quickly taking things out of the buildings. If the quake had occurred during the day, it would have caused a lot of loss of life. When it was late in the evening, that activity had more or less stopped, it happened to him. The second thing is that it was a short but very intense tremor. We could not stand on our feet. It was terrible.”

Tent problem continues

Kenanoğlu said that the problem of tents, shelter, heating and toilets continues in Hatay: “Tents are set up near and around the buildings. People have no tents and they improvised some kind of shelter with what they have; plastic or blankets. They take shelter near the buildings. If the 6.4 tremor had continued for another 30 seconds, God forbid, the people around these buildings would have been under the rubble. Of course, government officials say to stay away from buildings, but they do not create the conditions for staying away from buildings. You need to create opportunities for these people to shelter outside, meet their heating and toilet needs, so that these people stay away from the buildings. As HDP, we also have a coordination center here. People who come here insistently demand tents from us. In addition to that, of course, food is constantly consumed and it is an urgent need.”

Anger is growing

Noting that one can see what those tents become when it rains, Kenanoğlu emphasized that people are scared and devastated, but on the other hand, anger is growing. Kenanoğlu said: “When we went to Samandağ, people said that half of those who lost their lives there could be saved. They said there were voices begging under the rubble. Because the search and rescue teams did not come. Volunteers did not have equipment. There was no bucket, there was no one to lift those blocks...”

There are so many problems

Kenanoğlu said that President Erdoğan came to Hatay but the people did not see him. “Erdoğan and his delegation came to Hatay. Of course, we did not see him, but more importantly, the people of Hatay did not see him. A special area was reserved for him, the roads were closed and barriers were put up. People were not allowed there. They wanted to go through, but the road was blocked. They only allowed in the people they had chosen. Tayyip Erdoğan came to Hatay, but the people of Hatay did not know about it. People are angry, things are not as some media present them. Life doesn't flow like that around here. People don't live like that. They try to survive, but they have a lot of problems.”