Türkiye's Red Crescent teams provide psychological first-aid

By Zehra Aydin Turapoglu

ANKARA (AA) - A psychosocial support team of the Turkish Red Crescent is providing psychological first aid to earthquake victims, both adults and children, after the twin quakes that shook the country's southeastern region last week.

According to the Turkish Red Crescent statement that was released on Monday, a 53-strong psychosocial support team consisting of psychologists, clinical psychologists, psychological counselors, social workers, guidance specialists are providing psychological first aid to earthquake victims.

In addition to therapy sessions with children and adults, the psychosocial support team and volunteers also organize activities to reduce children's earthquake stress and trauma.

Also, psychosocial support tents will be set up in coordination with the Ministry of Family and the Ministry of Health.

The Turkish Red Crescent has received more than five thousand volunteer mental health experts' applications so far. Volunteer experts are planning to go to other provinces besides the quake-hit areas and organize informative training for earthquake victims via online and face-to-face therapies.

"Playgrounds, toys, coloring materials and children's books are needed to reduce the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder in children, and those who want to donate can access the list of needs through "www.kizilay.org.tr" or 168 call centers," the Turkish Red Crescent added.

More than 31,600 people have died and over 80,000 others injured in two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye on Feb. 6, according to the latest official figures.

The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes, centered in the Kahramanmaras province, have impacted some 13 million people across 10 Turkish provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa.

* Writing by Anna Cecilia Canatan