The Devastating Turkey-Syria Earthquake from the Perspective of Pediatric Nephrology

Abstract

Kahramanmaraş was hit by two major earthquakes nine hours apart on February 6th, 2023, with magnitudes of 7.8 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, respectively. Ten other cities were also devastatingly affected by these earthquakes. More than 50 thousand people died in Turkey. The occurrence of two severe earthquakes on the same day in such a wide geographical area caused significant challenges. This disaster, with its devastating effects, focused attention on the significance of establishing a national and comprehensive emergency disaster plan prior to any disaster. Additionally, it highlighted the necessity of preparing a well-organized healthcare team capable of providing prompt and appropriate fluid replacement for pediatric patients in the early stages of a disaster. This is a crucial issue which must be addressed prior to major disasters. Another very important issue in this tragic disaster was the condition of chronically ill pediatric patients. Indeed, an emergency response is important not only for disaster victims, but also for those patients with chronic diseases in need of uninterrupted medical care. It is vital that individuals of all ages, as well as personnel from all sectors, receive the appropriate education, awareness, and knowledge on what actions to take, where to go, and where to gather in such situations.

Keywords

• earthquake
• disasters
• children
• crush syndrome
• crush injury