The metropolitan municipal council of Istanbul, Turkey, has begun operating passenger ferries as temporary shelters to aid in the ongoing response effort following a deadly earthquake that struck the country earlier this month.
The vessels will be used to temporarily house some of the survivors of the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that occurred on February 6 and left thousands dead in Turkey and in neighbouring Syria.
Although initially used for transporting relief aid to affected areas, the ferries will also serve as floating accommodation spaces complete with berths, toilets, showers, infirmaries, psychological counseling rooms, and galley facilities equipped for preparing hot meals. Some of the vessels also feature playground facilities for rescued children.
The first ferries to be deployed from Istanbul to Iskenderun, one of the hardest hit Turkish cities, arrived earlier this week. Shelter facilities will be made available for survivors after all relief aid has been unloaded from the vessels.
As of Wednesday, February 15, the quake's death toll surpassed 41,000 with more than 35,000 deaths recorded in Turkey alone as search and rescue (SAR) operations in both countries continue to recover deceased victims from collapsed structures. At least another 120,000 people suffered injuries.
