Disaster preparedness

In a proactive move aimed at enhancing public safety and preparedness, Bulgaria is set to conduct a comprehensive test of its National System for early warning and notification of the population in case of air danger. Scheduled for April 1, 2024, the test will commence at 11:00 a.m. and will cover the entirety of the Sofia Municipality.

In an update after a long hiatus, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has stated that 53,537 people lost their lives in earthquakes that devasted 11 southern provinces on Feb. 6 last year, with over 14 million people directly affected by the disaster.

The Association of Private Hospitals and Healthcare Organizations (OHSAD) has prepared the "Health Services Earthquake Preparedness Guide" with the aim of enhancing earthquake preparedness plans and measures across all hospitals in Istanbul.

A commemorative event has been held in memory of the 117 people who lost their lives in the 6.6 magnitude earthquake in the western province of İzmir on the third anniversary of the disaster.

Relatives of the deceased and local authorities gathered at the Oct. 30 Earthquake Memorial in Hasan Ali Yücel Park, where they paid their respects and laid carnations at the monument.

BRUSSELS - Officials of Belgrade and Pristina are due to hold separate meetings with EU officials in Brussels on Thursday, a source in the EU told Tanjug on Tuesday.

The source said the two parties would not hold a joint high-level meeting.

Details about the place and time of the meetings are yet to be announced.

At least three people lost their lives due to floods wreaking havoc in the Central Anatolia Region, as search and rescue teams continue their efforts to find a 3-month-old baby who went missing in the surging floodwaters, Türkiye's Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) has announced.

Famed actress Tamer Karadağlı assumes the role of general manager at the Turkish State Theaters (DT), while Okay Memiş, the governor of Erzurum, steps into the chairmanship of the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), according to the announcement in the Official Gazette.

Türkiye's leading post-disaster search and rescue association AKUT, has announced its plans to raise awareness and provide training to over 600 institutions and nearly 15,000 employees within the next two years.

The parliamentary report prepared on the devastating Feb. 6 earthquakes has revealed that the country "was not ready for a big tremor," urging the authorities to enact a roof law on disasters.

"Disasters experienced in the past have shown that our country was not ready for disaster and was also inadequate in the intervention and recovery stages," the parliamentary report stated.

A symposium dedicated to the sustainability of Greece's smaller islands is taking on Nisyros this June.