Parliamentary Representative: Many Children Severely Ill in Earthquake-Stricken Sarab Region
Youssef Davudi, Sarab’s representative in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, reported “severe colds” among many children in earthquake-affected areas of Sarab, stating that these children’s bodies have been “completely affected by the cold.”
According to ISNA news agency’s report on Saturday (November 18), Davudi, in a crisis management session at the East Azerbaijan governorate, added that “given the weather conditions in the earthquake-stricken areas of Sarab, people are severely ill, and we need at least seven to eight teams of general practitioners to visit the patients.”
Pointing to the significantly low temperatures in Sarab, he criticized the lack of electric heaters for temporary shelters of earthquake survivors, saying that on Saturday “we nearly lost five people due to carbon monoxide poisoning from heating equipment in tents.”
Davudi also reported the deaths of two people from inhaling carbon monoxide gas in tents, and cited “the need for warm food, provision of safe heating that causes no harm to people, and prevention of diseases such as common cold” as major problems facing people in earthquake-affected areas.
ISNA news agency also reported on Sunday (November 19), citing Farzad Rahmani, head of pre-hospital emergency services at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, about saving the life of a 15-day-old infant whose parents died the previous day from carbon monoxide poisoning.
According to Mr. Rahmani, “the invisible killer did not prevail over the 15-day-old earthquake survivor,” and he is currently in “good physical condition.”
As this official announced, so far “23 earthquake survivors in the province have suffered gas poisoning due to not following safety measures.”
Based on this report, a total of 720 people have been injured following a 5.9 magnitude earthquake in Miyane, with the main causes of injuries being fleeing homes and stress; of this number, 450 were injured in Sarab and the rest in Miyane.
The earthquake, which struck the city of Turk in Miyane County of East Azerbaijan Province at 2:17 a.m. on Friday (November 16), has so far claimed five lives.
According to the governor of East Azerbaijan, the earthquake caused 10 to 100 percent damage to more than 2,300 residential units and resulted in the loss of more than 1,500 head of livestock.
Another report indicates that Ali Larijani, speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, asked relevant ministries to “build shelters for earthquake survivors sooner” after examining their needs.
Larijani, referring to the assignment of a mission to the Construction Commission to send delegations to earthquake-affected areas of Miyane and Sarab, and considering the cold weather in those areas, added: “The Housing Foundation and Red Crescent should make serious efforts. The Ministry of Interior should also carry out its work carefully.”
Source: Radboo Farda
