Latakia Most Affected by Syria Earthquake – Official
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Syrian Prime Minister, Hussein Arnous, said on Wednesday that massive destruction occurred in Latakia Governorate on the Syrian coast by a deadly earthquake that hit Syria on Feb.6, followed by aftershocks felt across the country.
After a visit to Latakia, Arnous was briefed on the rescue and relief operations. He stated that they might have to declare Latakia Governorate a devastated area.
“I hope the situation of Aleppo is not similar, if it is so we will not hide the truth. All world countries are prone to catastrophes like this and ask the world to help in these situations,” he added.
A devastated area is a geographical area that suffers a natural disaster such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, etc., or is hit with an artificial disaster or as a result of human error such as nuclear radiation.
The area is declared devastated when the disaster disrupts the normal course of life with human losses, damage to infrastructure, and the state’s inability to provide the population with basic life requirements such as water, electricity, and food.
Ahmad Qanadil, the head of Jableh Council, stated to the state-run news agency SANA that the toll of the earthquake in the city of Jableh in Latakia countryside reached 254 dead and 171 injured on Wednesday.
Qanadil added that an engineering committee from the Municipality of Jableh revealed that there were five at-risk buildings, including the Water and Finance facilities, and that they must be evacuated immediately due to damage and cracks in the buildings’ pillars.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the earthquake toll in Latakia Governorate reached 506 dead and 792 injured who are being cared for in hospitals. The number of collapsed buildings reached 102, according to an official statement by Latakia Governorate.
For the fourth day, search and rescue operations, in addition to rubble clearances continue in the affected areas in Latakia.
On Thursday, a local network reported that eight bodies of earthquake victims had been recovered from a collapsed building in the al-Raml al-Janubi neighborhood in Latakia.
As aftershocks continue, people of Latakia, fearing the collapse of buildings, stay outside their homes in harsh cold weather.