Hope is dwindling for a group of Turkish Cypriots still trapped under the rubble of the Isias hotel in Adiyaman, Turkey, four days after Monday’s catastrophic earthquake.
So far, 10 bodies have reportedly been recovered from the group of around 35 Turkish Cypriots who were there for school sports competitions, Philenews also reports citing Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen.
Reports from Adiyaman say the hotel in question was originally an apartment building and that a number of columns had been cut for a reception area to take place.
Anxiety, though, has peaked over the fate of the victims since eyewitnesses say there are bodies that cannot even be identified.
Practical supports is pouring from the free area of the Republic where a campaign campaign to collect essential goods is underway.
However, the Foreign Ministry in Nicosia on Thursday said the Cypriot rescue team will not be leaving, since Turkey, amongst other, has made clear it does not need help.
Journalist Ahmet Karagözlü told Philenews the anguish that torments the Turkish Cypriot community is getting stronger by the minute.
“We don’t know how many people are trapped under the rubble in Turkey. Only the number of athletes who remained in the rubble of the hotel in Antiyaman is known,” he said.
“It is not clear how many people all together have died…the number of casualties is constantly rising. The bodies cannot even be identified. DNA testing is required. We do not know for sure whether more people removed from the ruins are Turkish Cypriots or not,” he added.
