NationStates Jolt Archive

Istanbul, Turkey, United Federation of Eurasia

It was quiet mundane day for the city of Istanbul; people were going about their daily business it was roughly 12:30 A.M local time. Most people were heading off to have lunch and then go to mid day prayers at the local mosques. Then out of nowhere a massive earthquake happen which lasted for four minutes, in that span of time…the entire city was flatted, its buildings were design to withstand a major earthquake but nothing like this…all within a matter of four minutes the city of Istanbul and surrounding areas (figure about 50 miles or more depending on location and etc) were destroyed or complete ruins and further out the effects of the earthquake were felt throughout the federation and surrounding areas.

Massive fires were breaking out in the ruins of Istanbul and surrounding from gas lines that were cracked from the earthquake and caught on fire. For miles upon miles one could see the thick black smoke arising from the area where Istanbul had stood.

The Eurasian News Agencies reported an earthquake of magnitude 9.6 has hit Istanbul and surrounding areas, most of Eastern Turkey has taken heavy damage from the quake. The death total is to be in the millions and rising as time progress. The Eurasian Government as declare a state of emergency for the region and enacted Martial law for the area in order to restore order and provide aid to the victims.

The Grand Duchy issues its greatest sympathies for the loss in this tragedy and offers whatever aid we can procure to alleviate the situation. Such a great disaster can only beg for solidarity and comfort for those lost.

The Empire and the United Federation of Eurasia have strong and close ties. With these tragic events, the Empire sends it deepest condolences and sympathies and wishes to offer immediate help. Search and rescue crews can be available immediately as well as humanitarian aide, which will be necessary in the quake-stricken areas. Aftershocks remain a great threat and the Empire wishes to convey to states that have experience with large earthquakes to offer their support and their expertise.

The powerful quake could be felt as far away as Cyprus and the Egyptian seaboard, causing some mild damages to buildings and roads. However, the damages were in no way close to what had just destroyed Istanbul. The humanitarian need there was massive, and with deathtolls estimated in the millions, there was no way in hell the Eurasian authorities could handle all those dead, injured and internally displaced. Something had to be done, and something would be done.

Official Communiqué

The Realm is shocked with the natural disaster that has hit our Eurasian allies, and offers its deepest condolences for those Eurasians dead in the disaster. We are offering whatever is required of humanitarian aide and search and rescue teams to try to save as many lives as possible. We can have a military field hospital in place and operational within twelve hours after we get the go-ahead, and we are currently stocking humanitarian aide into transport aircraft and ships. The Realm stands by its friends.

[signed]
Thomas Rothsky
Prime Minister
The Realm of Cotland

In Greece the quake could be felt rolling in from the Turkish mainland. It was said that the eternal flame in the hand of the Colossus of Rhodes flickered for a few seconds, and the statue itself, the largest in the world, shook to its foundations with the aftershocks.

Large waves were also seen crashing onto shores of islands and beaches throughout the Aegean. HNC and various other news channels carrified simply horrific images of the destruction wrought throughout Turkey, and Istanbul in particular. The great city, a jewel in the world, was engulfed in flame and echoed to the sounds of sirens and despair.


OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION

TO: UNITED FEDERATION OF EURASIA



The Commonwealth wishes to offer its deepest condolences to the people of Eurasia, and at this time we wish to offer any and all help and aid that may be needed.
The Hirgizstanian Red Crescent can begin operations immediately and National Guard troops from Greece and Crete can be called up immediately and sent to help in Turkey. There are many COH Citizens in Turkey, and we also must account for them at this time and with aid agencies in the area, this can be accomplished faster.
The Commonwealth, at this time, is at the service of the Federation.

COH

As soon as news of the devastating earthquake reached the gulf, the Republic of Koryan offered whatever aid it could spare. Border garrisons are ordered to immediately stand down to allow any Eurasian forces in the area to move to Anatolia without security concerns.

To:Layarteb, Cotland, Hirgizstan Governments
From: Eurasian Government

The Eurasian Government will permit whatever aid you can send to enter our nation; we thank you for your help in our time of need.


Eurasian News Network update

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41508000/jpg/_41508068_quake_416afp.jpg(the aftermath)

Istanbul Province is in total ruins, within the pass few hours at least four aftershocks have been reported, ranging from magnitude 4.5 to 5.8. The Federation Government is doing its best to put off the fires and save as many people as they can, yet they are currently working against time to save lives..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39162000/jpg/_39162473_turkey1.jpg (Citizens just stand and look at the ruins that were once their home.)

The first foreign aid to reach the Federation, was naturally, from the Commonwealth in Greece. Istanbul lay only 100 miles from the Eastern border of Greece. Blackhawk's and Chinooks from National Guard bases in and near Alexandropolis were already flying in water, food and medical supplies, while Air National Guard aircraft were ferrying in Red Crescent aid workers, FEMA teams, Army Search and Rescue teams along with military doctors, nurses and surgeons with DAMS (Deployable Aid and Medical Stations) which would function as makeshift hospitals for the thousands of wounded in and around Istanbul.

A CBG from the 5th Fleet had also set sail from Alexandropolis and had reached the Sea of Marmara before commencing operations. The Carrier and various support ships would anchor off Istanbul and act as floating hospitals.

Eurasian military and aid teams worked hand in hand with Hirgizstanian ones around the clock, looking for wounded and getting aid to as many people as possible as quickly as possible.

In Cairo Airbase, the twelve C-15/A Kondors of the 2605. Logistics Squadron were being loaded to the ghills with pallets filled with MREs, bottled water, medicines and first aid kits, all of it destined for the needing peoples of Istanbul and suburbs. The twelve C-15s could each carry a total of 130.7 tons of cargo, meaning that a lot of humanitarian supplies could be delivered in one haul. With more than one and a half thousand tons of humanitarian aide per haul, the Cots expected to have delivered a million tons of supplies by the end of the week.

Meanwhile, in Limassol Airbase on Cyprus, three of the twelve C-12/J Super Hercules of the 2802. Logistics Squadron were being loaded with the field hospital and its equipment. All the Cots needed when it arrived was for the Eurasians to provide enough trucks to transport it to the spot where it was needed and a few hours to set it up before it was ready to recieve casualties. Medical personnel from both the Cottish military, the civilian non-profit organization Doctors Without Borders and various volunteers were being transported to Istanbul with Cottish government aircraft, mostly in the upper passenger cabins of the C-15s which could transport up to 88 passengers in addition to its cargo, but also some in the C-12s. All in all, a lot of supplies were being moved in by air.

That wasn't the only place it was being moved in though. An Odin-II class CVAEN, a Wilson class AKRN and three Indefatigable class destroyers also moved towards the Strait of Bospurus where the helicopters of the destroyers and assault carrier would assist in transporting wounded to the field hospitals and the 1,894 Royal Marines embarked on the assault ship could assist in searching through the destroyed city for wounded and dead. In addition, the hangar deck of the assault carrier was being converted into a floating infirmary with the ship's surgeons, corpsmen and medics preparing for the disaster that lay ahead, setting up intensive care units, surgical wards and treatment posts. On the flight deck, triage posts were being set up. All personnel with first aid training were drafted in to serve as nurses for the operation that lay ahead, already designated Operation Quick Samaritan by the Cottish military.

The Empire had some experience with earthquakes but none on the scale of the one in Istanbul. There were fault lines throughout the southern Caribbean and the western side of South America but, overall, the earthquake experience that the Layartebians had wasn't anything like what the Romans or the Eurasians had. Still, they had to help a wounded brother in need and the Empire dispatched search and rescue teams with their Jay Hawk helicopters and all-terrain vehicles as well as tons upon tons of aide in the form of food rations and medicine. Had it been a hurricane of epic proportions, the Empire would have been far better suited to help but such was nature, unpredictable. Layartebian ships would sail into the Med with the necessary supplies and offload right into Turkey and use Incirlik Air Base as a staging point, which was only 56km from the Med. Luckily, Incirlik Air Base had not felt the main earthquake but they were guaranteed to feel tremors and aftershocks that were to follow and they were braced for them already.

Eurasian News Agency( from the website)

Premier Nasir bin Abdullah al Assad in press conference has announce, that Federation Government will set aside $200 billion dinars for rebuilding Istanbul Province and surrounding provinces that were affected by the quake. Another $80 billion dinars have been set aside to rebuild Istanbul itself and restore the city to its former self.

In other news, the death toll is now at 1.2 million and rising as the hours past. President Ismail al-Azhari,
While touring the ruins of city, said the following to group of aid workers and Eurasian Troops “ I would like to thank all the aid agencies and governments that have come to our moment of our need, it shall never be forgotten.”

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/Ottoman01/Troop%20Pics/e561c0b5.jpg Troops stand attention as the President of Eurasia enters the command center for the Istanbul Garrison

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/Ottoman01/Troop%20Pics/d671fbf4.jpg Eurasian Troops from 24th Infantry Division from 7th Army Corp are seen here getting ready to enter Istanbul and assume police duties.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/Ottoman01/Troop%20Pics/ebd122c4.jpg Troops from the 18th Infantry Division from 8th Army Corp.

OOC: Eurasia has a President as head of state and Premier as head of government