Modern technology: Emergency response to the Syria-Turkey earthquake
The earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria led to devastating losses of life, infrastructure, and enhanced international cooperation to provide support to the victims. Aside from around twenty-five thousand recorded deaths, the region also bears immense economic and infrastructure-related costs. To quantify it, Bank of America (BofA) estimated that more than three billion U.S. dollars are needed to restore critical infrastructure. Currently, aid workers worldwide are using technology to find ways to assist Turkey in emergency response to the recent hazardous event.
Mapping Technology
Drones serve as powerful tools in tackling the devastating consequences of cataclysms by providing an overview of the disaster site as well as helping to identify the areas that require research, spot signs of life, and assess the structural integrity of the ruined buildings in cooperation with the rescue missions. Spain, as an example, has joined the international community in unified actions to help the earthquake-affected region by mobilizing troops and drones from its Military Emergency Unit.
Satellite services allow the sustainment of vital communications for relief efforts and provide irreplaceable help in disaster management and recovery operations. Satellite support enables the detection of destroyed roads and collapsed buildings.
Copernicus, the EU’s Earth observation program, has activated its systems to provide necessary mapping services in the context of emergency response to the catastrophe.
NASA-coordinated Earth Applied Sciences Program in cooperation with other bodies united in efforts to assist Türkiye and Syria with relevant maps and data. The resources provided aim to assess the damage caused by the deadly earthquake, specifically destroyed roads and larger infrastructure objects, as well as identify potential power outages.
Satellite-provided internet services that facilitate undisrupted broadband communications play a decisive emergency relief role in hazard-affected areas. However, the Turkish authorities have already declined an offer to enable Starlink services throughout the region.
Other Tech Instruments
World-known tech giants, including Google, Amazon, and Apple, pledged to donate to the disaster relief efforts. Additionally, widely used social media channels and platforms foster vital information exchange and allow rescue teams to access disaster sites and enhance emergency services. Data collected from social media and further analyzed by tech volunteers is represented in the shape of a so-called disaster map and visualizes assistance requests posted on different platforms. Furthemore, WhatsApp created a helpline to optimize the information exchange to assist rescue operations.
Cryptocurrency donations have become an effective alternative to potentially damaged traditional baking operations in Turkey. Despite the continuing nationwide ban on cryptocurrency imposed in Turkey in 2021, the digital donating method seems to constitute a substantial part of the overall financial aid that has so far been sent to Turkey and will hence contribute to the infrastructure restoration efforts in the upcoming future.