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CNN INTERNATIONAL: Death Toll Tops 5,000 As Race To Find Survivors Intensifies; President Erdogan Declares Three-Month State Of Emergency; Cold, Snowy Weather Hampering Search For Survivors; International Aid Pours In For Search And Rescue Efforts; Zelenskyy: Special Attention Paid To Bakhmut As Battle Rages; Ukraine: Russia Plans To Mobilize Up To 500,000 Extra Troops; 102-Year-Old Does Her Part For Ukrainian War Effort. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired February 07, 2023 - 08:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[08:01:05]

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to CNN's continuing coverage of the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey in Syria on Monday. I'm Max Foster in London. Unthinkable tragedy continues to unfold across parts of Turkey and Syria after a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit both nations in the early hours of Monday morning.

The death toll is steadily rising while the 5,000 people are dead. Thousands more are hurt and violent aftershocks continue to rock that region. Through freezing cold temperatures, searchers are making miraculous rescues pulling victims from beneath the rubble. Others are digging without equipment in agonizing attempts to save loved ones they can hear but can't reach.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): They are alive but nobody comes. We've heard them, they're calling out asking for help. They asked to be rescued. We cannot rescue them.

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FOSTER: The World Health Organization says that tens of millions of people are likely being impacted by this disaster. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh has this report from the earthquake zone in southern Turkey.

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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR (voice-over): Night blanketed the destruction with freezing temperatures. Flash nights fires reveal an unwavering operation, rescues with only their bare hands, listening for faint voices of survivors trapped under their homes.

The magnitude 7.8 earthquake killed and injured thousands in Turkey and Syria and left thousands more homeless sifting through the dust for what's left of their lives. NESET GULER, KAHRAMANMARAS RESIDENT (through translation): We barely escaped from inside the house. We have four children and we left the house with them at the last moment. I guess there were several people trapped inside. It was a huge disaster. Our situation is very bad here. We are waiting without water or food. We are in a miserable state.

WALSH ((voice-over): The clock is another enemy here along with the bitter cold. Aid is pouring in from all over the world. Rescue dogs to sniff for signs of life and trickling into Syria ravaged by a decade of civil war.

The first rays of dawn sunlight bring warmth and reveal the true scale of a devastating earthquake. The strongest this region has seen in nearly a century. Dozens of powerful aftershocks mean the building still standing tall could come crumbling anytime.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Southern Turkey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: CNN's Jomana Karadsheh joins us from Istanbul. A lot of support coming towards both countries but they're trying to organize it.

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, I mean, it's a huge effort as you can imagine, not only to get the aids deliveries to Turkey, then you need to make sure that the aid reaches the areas in -- that needed the most. But then you've also got the complications, Max, across the border in Syria.

Aid agencies are finding it very difficult to get aid to northwestern Syria where it is so desperately needed right now. You've got several issues, the logistics, the one and only border crossing that is authorized for cross border deliveries that border with Turkey Bab al- Hawa and they so far haven't been able to get their supplies moving in because of the impact of the earthquake, because of the weather conditions.

So the United Nations and other international NGOs are trying to work on a plan to try and get the aid there, then you've got the complexities of going through the regime in Damascus that has always insisted that aid must go through Damascus.

And I can't tell you how much we're hearing these heartbreaking stories coming from northwestern Syria. People appealing to the international community. The rescue workers there, the White Helmets saying they really need all the help they can get right now.

[08:05:12]

They're warning that hundreds of people are believed to be trapped under the rubble of their homes, their buildings that have been destroyed by this earthquake. We're talking about a part of Syria, Max, where some of the country's most vulnerable population is. More than 4 million people, many of them women and children who have been displaced several times.

They were already going through humanitarian crisis. They're facing a cholera outbreak, the harsh winter conditions and international aid that they are entirely dependent on that has been drying up in recent months in recent years. So real humanitarian disaster across the border there in Syria.

And here in Turkey, we heard President Erdogan a short time ago addressing the nation, declaring a state of emergency in the earthquake zone, in the 10 provinces that have been hit by this earthquake for three months saying that they have to declare the state of emergency to ensure that the relief and search and rescue efforts move rapidly.

The President describing this not only as the biggest disaster in nearly 100 years in this country, saying this is one of the largest disasters in the world. I mean, the World Health Organization, Max, is saying up to 23 million people in Syria and in Turkey could be impacted by this earthquake.

No surprise there. Of course, this is a massive earthquake zone, these 10 provinces stretching across southeastern Turkey. And right now, as you can imagine, the top priority is the search and rescue operation. This is a multi-agency multinational efforts. Turkey has dedicated all its the state's institutions, resources, move to help with this effort.

And of course, as you mentioned earlier, you've got countries and international organizations also sending in support and teams to help Turkey deal with the aftermath of this devastating earthquake. But now, there are so many challenges they are facing with this search and rescue operation.

The weather being a major hurdle right now it is snowing, it is freezing. You have so many roads that are blocked. The President saying that they haven't been able to reach -- fully reach some areas that are impacted. It is a race against time and every second matters. When you have thousands of people potentially believed to be under the rubble right now when it comes to trying to save those lives. Every second counts, Max.

FOSTER: They really do. Jomana in Istanbul, thank you.

Meanwhile, in Syria, rescue team -- rescue crews are really hoping for a miracle as they sift through the rubble for any survivors there. Last check serious death toll reached more than 1,600 people. The White Helmets say that number is likely to increase as they reach collapse buildings and rebel held territories.

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(Speaking Foreign Language)

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FOSTER: Here's the reason for that hope Monday. In the town of Jandaris, rescue crews pulled this young boy from the rubble. Does happen.

Let's bring in Mohammad Hammoud, he is the program manager for the Norwegian Red Cross, and he joins us. You know, just tell us about the Syrian situation. I mean, we're getting much more vision, aren't we, of Turkey --

MOHAMMAD HAMMOUD, MANAGER FOR SYRIA, NORWEGIAN RED CROSS: Yes.

FOSTER: -- but particularly those rebel held areas of Syria. We don't really know what's going on there.

HAMMOUD: Yes. Thank you for this opportunity to start off with. According to the last updates, we now have 1,800 casualties in Syria more than 3,800 people are reported injured. 11 years of armed conflict, this earthquake was the last thing that Syria really needs. The death toll is already high and it will keep raising.

I would echo what Jomana saying we are in race against time and rescue personnel including thousands of volunteers from the Syrian Red Crescent are working extremely hard to save lives. People are still trapped in ruins and it's urgent now to find them, get them out and provide them with life-saving aid.

The lack of machinery to move the collapsed buildings means that the most of the work is done by hand. We are mainly relying currently on manpower. We are in a desperate race against time because also we have a lack of fuel out some of the ambulance services have stopped working. We are trying now to find a way to get fuel in the country.

The humanitarian situation in Syria is becoming worse and worse.

[08:10:04]

We have thousands of people who stayed overnight in collective shelters, in different governors, including Idlib, Aleppo, Hama, and Latakia. And hundreds of thousands are also in threat to be homeless in the upcoming months. The buildings are already weakened because of the 11 years of war and the severe weather conditions are not helping at all.

FOSTER: It's been described as an emergency within an emergency, hasn't it? But when we're talking about those rebel held areas --

HAMMOUD: Yes.

FOSTER: -- the aid is going to come in through the Turkish border, isn't it, but there's only one crossing, as I understand it. So are you speaking to the United Nations about creating more, you know, access to the rebel held areas?

HAMMOUD: Yes, yes. Today, Syrian Arab Red Crescent President, Mr. Khaled Hboubati has also called to have also a crossline support to send them to Idlib and other locations that are outside of government- controlled areas.

FOSTER: How helpful is the government in Damascus being for the areas that are, you know, out of its control as it were up in the north?

HAMMOUD: Well, they have stated that they are open to crossline intervention, meaning from Syria into from government health areas to non-government-controlled areas.

FOSTER: And are you seeing that, you know, those borders being opened? Are you seeing the access to aid getting through?

HAMMOUD: Currently, nothing has moved there. But there is a plans and discussions on moving aids and access to these areas.

FOSTER: When do you think that might happen?

HAMMOUD: We hope that with the efforts that all the humanitarian communities putting here in Syria and internationally, this will happen the upcoming days.

FOSTER: And you mentioned the weather earlier on, this is a huge pressure, isn't it --

HAMMOUD: Yes.

FOSTER: -- to everyone involved. The rescuers having to go through this rubble by hand, but also for the survivors coming out into those conditions.

HAMMOUD: Yes, the extreme weather conditions are not helping at all. And people as I told you, hundreds have spent the night yesterday outside. We are -- we have been trying to support -- we are trying to support with blankets, mattresses and some shelter equipments. Hundreds of thousands of people are in threat of being homeless in the coming day, months or days because of the weaknesses of the buildings of 11 years of wars.

That said, the weather condition is not helping at all. In some areas, it's snowing. The research and rescue is a 24-hour mission. The Syrian Red Crescent and other actors on the ground are non -- in a non-stop for the search and rescue.

I would like also to add that we are seeing more protection risks against human children, all the present people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, especially within an emergency -- in an emergency as you mentioned.

FOSTER: OK, Mohammad Hammoud, thank you very much indeed for joining us from Damascus.

HAMMOUD: Thank you. Thank you so much.

FOSTER: As we've seen, help is pouring into Turkey and parts of Syria from around the world and within Turkey, people are just as eager to help. Take a look at this, more than 6,000 people flocked to Istanbul airport to register to volunteer in the earthquake zone. Priority was given to professional teams and medical workers as they were put on planes to be deployed. Still to come, the world responds after this devastating earthquake but experts are concerned it'll be especially tough to get to one area as rescuers race to find survivors.

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[08:16:04]

FOSTER: International aid is pouring into Turkey and Syria as the full scale of the earthquake disaster becomes clearer. Russia, Italy, China and Germany has sent in teams to help with search and rescue efforts in Turkey. The Turkish President says 70 countries have offered help now. So far, fewer countries are sending aid to Syria.

Earlier, planes carrying supplies from Iran and Iraq arrived in Damascus. China says it will also send emergency supplies there. Meanwhile, the head of Syria's Red Crescent says the organization is ready to send in aid to hard to reach show rebel held areas.

Nada has been monitoring this for us from London. We were speaking to an aid worker in Damascus, asking him, you know, how it's going getting aid to the rebel held areas. And he basically had to admit that they're not getting anything in from the Syrian side. Although they are speaking to the government there.

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: They are indeed in touch with the government. There are consultations discussions ongoing according to those aid groups. But getting aid from Damascus or any sort of goods produced from Damascus, up to northwestern Syria, and these rebel-held areas has proven difficult for years now as war has been raging on.

The concern now is not only are we facing the difficulty of actually transferring that aid from Damascus, or having a willingness by the Syrian government to actually transfer that aid to those rebel-held areas. But, of course, the logistical issues there on the ground have also made things extremely difficult --

FOSTER: On the distrust presumably.

BASHIR: Absolutely. And, of course, there are limited crossings at this point is, it appears to be one key crossing that they're hoping to secure to get that open to allow for the transfer of aid. But, of course, those talks are ongoing. There is a lot of diplomacy tangled up in all of this as well as of course with the international community that mistrust with President Bashar al-Assad's government.

And also, of course, the question of sanctions, the question of recognition of that government whether or not those diplomatic grievances can be put to one side in order for the international community to funnel that support to northwestern Syria.

FOSTER: So the other option is coming in from the Turkish side. Does anyone border crossing, though, at the moment?

BASHIR: And, of course, the weather conditions are not great at the moment, it is proving extremely difficult. We have just heard in the last few moments from the United Nations. They say that their border -- cross border aid to Syria has been temporarily halted due to the damage --

FOSTER: There's no way to getting in all right now.

BASHIR: It is extremely limited. And we're relying on that information coming from those aid groups operating in northwestern Syria, and in particular the White Helmets who have been offering support. But they've been saying they are literally using their hands manpower in order to pull people out of the rubble.

Not only do they need aid when it comes to the rescue support of getting people out, the heavy machinery and equipment that they need.

FOSTER: Yes.

BASHIR: But, of course, the aftermath as well, because we are talking about some of the most vulnerable people in Syria. They have been living in these camps --

FOSTER: Already a crisis there.

BASHIR: Absolutely. We'll have 4 million people desperately in need.

FOSTER: But can't the United Nations work with the Turkish government and the Syrian rebels to open up more borders? I don't understand the issue.

BASHIR: We've seen these difficulties in the past. Getting any sorts of agreement with the Syrian government has proven near impossible in previous instances. The Turkish government is now working, of course, closely with the United Nations.

We've heard from the Syrian representative to the United Nations who says they are working with the U.N. They've called on the U.N. to -- all their support for the Syrian country and that they will be offering support to all parts of the country. Whether or not that actually takes place in practice whether or not those pledges by the Syrian government can be trusted remains to be seen.

FOSTER: OK, Nada, thank you.

Coming up, Ukraine says Russia is building up troops and getting ready for a full scale offensive as the U.N. warns the world is knowingly marching into a wider war.

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[08:22:25]

FOSTER: Welcome back. An update now on some of the other top stories we're following from around the world today. There are new signs that Russia may be gearing up for a full-scale offensive in eastern Ukraine. A regional military official says Moscow appears to be stockpiling ammunition and building up troops in the Luhansk region. One Ukrainian senior intelligence official expects Russia to mobilize up to half a million more soldiers this year. Intense fighting has been raging for months around the city of Bakhmut and nearby towns. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the situation is difficult but his forces are holding the line.

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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translation): In the Donetsk region and in other areas, special attention is paid to Bakhmut to our defense to the occupiers attempts to encircle the city and break defense lines there. We are reacting.

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FOSTER: CNN's Clare Sebastian joins me now. This build up was expected but there seems to be more evidence. So this is going to happen.

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Max. There's been talk certainly, teams on the ground speaking to the Ukrainian forces. They say that perhaps the new offensive has already started. We don't know exactly what stage it's at, but we've heard this morning from the Ukrainian head of the Luhansk region who said that he sees evidence that Russia is building up ammunition.

He said not using as much of it as it previously had, suggesting, perhaps it's stockpiling. He also says that thousands of mobilized troops have been moved into the Luhansk region, potentially evidence of an offensive to come. And he does say that the numbers are a big worry to Ukraine, the sheer number of forces that Russia is able to bring into that region.

He says it's like a monster fighting war against us. And that is significant because, of course, we've heard from the deputy head of Ukrainian Defense Intelligence today that he expects perhaps that Russia will not only mount a second wave of mobilization, but the second one could be bigger than the first.

He said he expects up to half a million Russians could be mobilized in a second wave and that that would be used to fuel a spring offensive in the east and the south of the country. Now the Kremlin has repeatedly denied its planning, another wave of mobilization. There's no evidence that it started to do that.

But we do know, for example, Max, that it announced in December, the Russian defense ministry, that it was planning to significantly increase the size of the standing army. So it's possible that could be part of the picture here as well. But all eyes are heavily focused on that evidence that Russia could be building up its troops and its presence in the east and focus on potentially a new offensive.

[08:25:04]

FOSTER: OK, Clare Sebastian, thank you.

Nearly one century ago, millions of Ukrainians were killed in a manmade famine inflicted by the Soviet regime. Today, many Ukrainians believe they're fighting off another attempt, a genocide carried out by Russia.

CNN's Sam Kiley met one great grandmother who has lived through it all, and is now helping her beloved country fight back.

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SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At 102, Liubov's survival is extraordinary, not least because she's endured three famines over her century and all of them blamed on the Kremlin.

LIUBOV YAROSH, HOLODOMOR SURVIVOR (through translation): We ate, Linden, Linden leaves and nettles. We used to grind these wild plants into flour, bake with it and eat it.

KYLIE (voice-over): At 13, she saw her older brother and sister perish in Ukraine's worst mass starvation, the Holodomor.

YAROSH (through translation): My legs were swollen. My arms were swollen. I was so sick. I thought I was going to die.

KYLIE (voice-over): In the early 1930s, on Joseph Stalin's orders, Ukraine's farmers were stripped of every grain they produced to feed Moscow's industrialization.

YAROSH (through translation): Tiny children were dying of hunger. They were taken to a truck, they dug a big hole and threw them all in.

KYLIE (voice-over): Ukraine is now 11 months into the latest Russian invasion. Three of her grandchildren are soldiers fighting Russian troops because Russia's president doesn't believe that Ukraine exists.

It should be noted that Ukraine actually never had stable traditions of real statehood, Putin claimed. Russia's assault on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, failed last year. Many Ukrainians believe they're fighting off another attempt at genocide.

MYKHAILO KOSTIV, HEAD OF INFORMATION, HOLODOMOR-GENOCIDE MUSEUM (through translation): The leaders and organizers of the genocide sit in the same offices in the same place. At the center of these events is Moscow and the object of destruction is Ukraine as a nation.

KYLIE (voice-over): Ukraine's government says thousands of citizens have been forced into Russian territory and 14,000 children are missing.

(on-camera): How many millions of people died in the many famines brought upon by Russia in this country over the last century is a matter of debate among historians. And human rights, lawyers will debate whether or not what is happening today can be defined as a genocide. But there's no question that over the last hundred years the relationship between Moscow and Ukraine has been bleak.

YAROSH (through translation): We need to exterminate them so that not a single one is left. Only then can there be any peace.

KYLIE (voice-over): To help the war effort, she ties Burlap into netting to make sniper camouflage. But it may be her laughter that has kept her going so many years.

Sam Kiley, CNN, Chortkiv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Coming up, sub-zero temperatures and more aftershocks serve up a dangerous mix as search and rescue efforts continue in Turkey and Syria. We'll have a live weather update.

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