On Monday, 6 February, 2023, two earthquakes struck Pazarcık and Elbistan districts of Kahramanmaraş province of the Republic of Turkey at morning and at noon. The magnitudes of the earthquakes were announced by the Turkish Republic Ministry of Interior Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) as 7.7 and 7.6. The trained search and rescue team of the Eastern Mediterranean University Search and Rescue Club (EMU-SRC) has been involved in search and rescue efforts since the first day of the earthquake in order to assist earthquake survivors who were affected by the devastating earthquake disaster.
EMU-SRC’s 10 trained search and rescue personnel consisting of Selçuk Can Ergün, Varol İlker Ersalan, Emre Öztürk, Berkay Göçer, Durmuş Levent Külük, Serbay Göçer, Nihat Enes Alğın, Seren Çakır, Besim Kaan Uçar and Burak Yıldırım was sent to the region by EMU on the same day of the disaster. EMU-SRC continued its rescue work in the region until the last day and actively participated along with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Civil Defense Organization teams at Isias Hotel, Adıyaman where the Famagusta Turkish Maarif College athlete group was staying. KKTCEll and TRNC Telsim also provided free internet and talk minute tariffs to the EMU-SRC team members.
EMU-SRC Team Leader Burak Yıldırım made a statement on the topic and said: “I joined the EMU-SRC in 2013 and actively participated in the club’s activities until I graduated from EMU. During and after this period, I took an active role in all trainings and competitions conducted jointly by the Civil Defense Organization and our club. Under the leadership of the Civil Defense Organization Presidency, as the EMU-SRC team, we provided active assistance as a search and rescue team of 10 people in the rubble site of the Isias Hotel in the center of Adıyaman, to which we participated voluntarily. As teams working in the entire rubble site, we tried to make all necessary efforts to save the children, spouses, siblings, parents of families under the rubble from Northern Cyprus and Turkey. We would like to thank all the people of Cyprus for being in unity and solidarity in this difficult day.”
Moreover, Seren Çakır who was the only female volunteer and team member also talked on the topic and said: “I am a 4th year student at EMU Faculty of Law. We took a team from the EMU Search and Rescue Club and participated in search and rescue activities in the wreckage of Adıyaman Isias Hotel. Although our resources were limited, we did everything we could. Although we exerted ourselves to the utmost, we are extremely sorry for the outcome. Being a search and rescue team member is voluntary. There is no big or small work done at the rescue site. Both psychological and physical conditions were very difficult, but under these conditions, we struggled for a week to help the people who experienced this disaster. I would like to thank the TRNC Civil Defense Organization and all TRNC teams that gave us training, the Eastern Mediterranean University Search and Rescue Club that provided us with training, to both official and volunteer teams working in unison, to our citizens who sent aid from all parts of the country, and to all countries who helped during the process. I am extremely sorry for our loss”.
Rector Prof. Dr. Aykut Hocanın Hosted EMU-SRC Team
On Tuesday, 14 February 2023 at 15:00, EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Aykut Hocanın hosted EMU-SRC Team who put their all during the rescue work in Adıyaman Isias site. Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Prof. Dr. Hasan Demirel and Social and Cultural Activities Directorate Unit Manager Çiğdem Duvarcı were also present at the meeting. Thanking EMU-SRC members on behalf of the University for their devoted work at Isias Hotel from day one, Prof. Dr. Hocanın said, “As EMU, we are in deep sorrow due to the disaster. From the first day, you have been there as our University Search and Rescue Club within the framework of volunteerism and you have worked hard for our citizens. I would like to thank each and every one of you for your self-sacrificing work under the difficult conditions there”. Prof. Dr. Hocanın presented certificates of appreciation and presents to EMU-SRC members.
An Example of Loyalty from EMU Athletes for the Athletes Who Lost Their Lives
Athletes, coaches and administrative members of sports teams operating under EMU Sports Affairs Directorate greeted and supported the families of the athletes, who lost their lives in Adıyaman Isias Hotel in the earthquake disaster, at the Ercan Airport. EMU Sports Affairs Directorate, which attended all the funerals with a full staff, expressed their deep sorrow for the disaster experienced. Director Cemal Konnolu also talked on the topic and said: “Our pain is great. We are deeply saddened by the loss of our young athletes, trainers and families. May they all rest in peace”.
