The Minister of Local Administration and Environment – Chairman of the Higher Relief Committee, Hussein Makhlouf, said our country is unprepared for such disasters. This is especially after 12 years of resisting terrorism and its effects on the infrastructure and capabilities of the state, in addition to the loss of about 50 thousand engineering mechanisms and equipment.
He thanked the brotherly and friendly countries that took the initiative to provide assistance, medical and food supplies to those affected by the devastating earthquake. Makhlouf added: We welcome any initiative to provide aid without politicizing or infringing on the sovereignty of the Syrian state. The share of the Ministry of Local Administration was more than 5,000 vehicles, and this negatively affected the possibility of dealing with cases such as earthquakes.
Makhlouf pointed out that 180 shelters have been opened. He revealed that the number of people who left their homes in fear and panic of cracking houses due to the earthquake reached 293,829 people, including children and women. He stressed that not all of these people resort to shelters, as many go to their relatives, especially in the countryside.
He added: We do not deny the difficulty of the situation within the available capabilities, and the weather negatively affected rescue and relief operations. All this did not discourage rescue teams, doctors and paramedics, as they are alert around the clock.
He continued: This was also accompanied by unilateral coercive measures by countries supporting terrorism, in which the Syrian state collided in compensating for the mechanisms it lost. He pointed out that these coercive measures targeted medicine and the livelihood of the Syrian citizen, let alone the necessary mechanisms and equipment.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
