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Death Toll In Turkey, Syria Earthquakes Rises To Nearly 8,000; Biden's First Address With New Republican House Majority; North's Kim Celebrates Army's Birthday With Daughter. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired February 08, 2023 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm John Vause at the CNN Center in Atlanta. It is now 9:00 a.m. in Turkey and Syria, where hopes of fighting survivors from Monday's powerful earthquake are fading by the hour.
The death toll is now close to 8,000. In Syria, rescuers from the White Helmet Group say many who are trapped under debris and rubble in freezing temperatures will not survive for much longer and warns of a significant increase in the confirmed number of dead. Many residents in the vast quake zone in Turkey have described the pace of rescues as slow and the government response inadequate.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared a three month state of emergency in 10 provinces and ordered hotels in the tourist heart of Hatay to be opened rooms allocated for survivors whose homes have been destroyed. The earthquake has caused significant damage to a major road, leading to a crucial border crossing between Turkey and Syria.
The crossing is the only humanitarian aid corridor approved by the UN between both countries, and the damage is slowing relief efforts. Meantime, countries across the world are working to get aid quickly to the affected areas. India said a second plane carrying relief and disaster response personnel that happened on Tuesday and the UK also pledging continued support. Here was Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
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RISHI SUNAK, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Obviously an incredibly tragic situation that we're all seeing in Turkey and Syria. I want everyone to know that we are doing what we can to provide support. We're in touch with the authorities in both Syria and Turkey. And specifically, we are in the process of sending 77 search and rescue experts to Turkey. That's the most immediate need that they have communicated to us that we can help with.
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VAUSE: Rishi Sunak there, the British Prime Minister speaking. We got Becky Anderson, who is in the quake zone. Of course, Becky, this aid, this help which is arriving, it's needed, and a lot more is needed still yet.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, absolutely. Just here in Gaziantep, in Ibrahimili, which is a western suburb of Gaziantep, we saw a team from Kazakhstan yesterday, a good example of the support that is now incoming. I flew in with the UAE's military. They were working the logistics for the Emirates Red Crescent, for the Dubai police, who have search and rescue vehicles. And they were bringing in a field hospital which will be set up about 100 kilometers from here, where things are really, really tough.
Look, this is a relatively new city, and many of the buildings here are actually unaffected by the earthquake, but not all of them. Of course this is a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. It struck at 4:15 in the morning on Monday.
It is now at 9:00 in the morning on Wednesday. So we are more than 50 hours into this, and crews like the one that you see behind me here still working on what they genuinely believe is still a search and rescue operation as opposed to a recovery operation.
They still are keen to make clear that they have signs of life below this rubble. You and I spoke a little earlier and we talked about the fact that we've got on good authority from the nephew of one man who is trapped beneath this rubble with his three children and his wife, who has actually been in contact in the past few hours, in the past 6 hours, with the authorities here. And they say that they are safe, but clearly, you know, their condition is awful.
And you've got to worry about the risk of hypothermia at this point because it is minus six as we speak. You make a very good point about those international crews. They are going to be absolutely crucial, not just in areas like this, which actually has quite a lot of heavy machinery at each of the sites along this road which have collapsed, but in other areas across the region things are extremely tough. Have a look at this.
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ANDERSON (voiceover): From underneath the destruction, a momentary sigh of relief. The search and rescue teams find a sign of life while sifting through the rubble. But seconds later, another lifeless body is found.
Monday's devastating quake has left an evergrowing desktop in its thousands, leaving families across Turkey and Syria without homes and without loved ones.
[01:05:02]
As the snow falls, grief is being compounded with freezing conditions. Huddled around a small fire, survivors worry about friends and relatives still trapped under the rubble, forbidden by authorities to intervene. Murat Alinak says he just wants to help recover his relatives, to give them a proper send off. MURAT ALINAK, QUAKE SURVISOR (through translator): We are under the
snow, without a home, without anything. We can overcome this. We can fast for 40 days and still overcome this. But let us recover for the funerals.
ANDERSON: International aid has poured in from all corners of the world. France, Mexico, Germany and India are some of the countries who've pledged to step up efforts. Planes carrying supplies from Iran and Iraq also arriving in Damascus on Tuesday as C-17 cargo planes from the UAE flew quickly to the quake stricken area.
UMUR ZAMANOGLU, TURKISH SEARCH AND RESCEU TEAM LEADER: Now 25,000, a Turkish search and rescue crew is on the mission, and more estimated 5,000 people is coming from the other country.
ANDERSON: Back in Gaziantep, survivors at this gas station are desperately trying to fill up and find safety away from the destruction. Barter's line stretched throughout the airport with cancellations expected for at least three days. Turkey's Erdogan declaring a state of emergency for the next three months. Passengers slowly resigned to the fact that there may be no escape any time soon.
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ANDERSON: No escape anytime soon for those passengers, a Gaziantep airport which is about 20 minutes from here. But I can tell you there's very little hope of escape for many, many, many people in northwestern Syria. My colleague Salma Abdelaziz has been working her sources there and trying to establish excuse me while I just walk out of the shop. Just pull out. There's a car just here.
Salma Abdelaziz has been working her sources in that region and she joins me now from Istanbul. Four million people displaced anywhere in that region. Over 13 years of brutal, 12 years of brutal war there. Salma, what are you hearing out of Idlib and Aleppo, for example?
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, you've been bringing us these extraordinary images of these rescue efforts taking place in Turkey, where, of course, international aid is pouring in, where rescue teams are arriving from all over the world, where there is, of course, this huge effort to try to find survivors.
I want to give you a look of what that looks like on the other side of the border, inside Syria, in rebel controlled areas. We have this video to show you. It is extremely dramatic. It shows what these rescue operations look like. Let's pull that up, please.
There you're going to see a little girl, her name is Mariam, and her little brother Ilaaf, smaller than her. She's stroking her hair. And she is speaking to a volunteer rescue worker, a White Helmet member. She's begging him, Becky. She's pleading with this rescue worker to save him. She says, Please do anything you can to pull me and my brother out. I'll do anything for you. I'll be your servant. She's so desperate to get out. This is about 36 hours after the earthquake.
You do see them. Those rescue workers are able, thankfully, to pull out Mariam and Ilaaf. Again, just a little girl that tiny boy crushed probably in their bed.
There is very little help there. There is actually no help there at all currently, Becky. There is one access road, one humanitarian corridor that is established and agreed upon between Syria, Turkey. That road has been damaged by this earthquake.
The UN says it's made it almost impossible to bring aid in. There are various UN organizations, Red Cross workers, aid workers trying to negotiate with the Syrian government. But already it seems that aid is being politicized divided by the civil conflict.
That means for those people who are trapped under the rubble still, that means for the dead who are underneath their homes, Becky, there are very few options to pull them out. And for those families standing by that I know you see everywhere, just waiting for answers, wondering where their missing loved ones are, hoping authorities will give them some sign, some good sign in Syria, that hope is completely faded right now. At this point, Becky, no one really expecting that any help is coming and just trying to find shelter in this freezing cold.
ANDERSON: Salma, I have to say, I saw those very images of those two little kids. Look, I'm a mom of kids of about the same age, and if any image or video struck me to the core, it was that image.
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As I understand it, those two little kids did survived. So, if that's the case, that's one of those miracle stories. But I think that image as much as any other, that just underscores the sort of desperate situation that so many people across this region are in, not least those in northwestern Syria.
Let me bring in my next guest, who is a professor of engineering. Mustafa Erdik is a professor of earthquake engineering. Specifically, you will have been listening to my reporting from here in Ibrahimili, here in Gaziantep, and also the reporting from Salma there.
Just walk us through where we are at, what you're observing, you know, how well or not these rescue teams are coping and what you expect to happen in the hours to come, because there has to be a concern at this point about those who may still be alive being affected by hypothermia.
MUSTAFA ERDIK, PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING AT BOGAZICI UNIVERSITY: Sure, I can't.
ANDERSON: I can't hear the guest. I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you. Apologies for the technical problems we are having. You will be watching these search and rescue efforts across this region. We have to be concerned that those will very soon turn to recovery efforts. You're an earthquake engineer. Just describe what you are witnessing here and what needs to happen next.
ERDIK, Well, what we are witnessing is the thing that we don't want to witness. I mean, this is an earthquake, very major earthquake, comparable to size of the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, except that it's also aggravated by a second one.
So it's common, it's expected what's the damage but not that sort of damage. What we expect after earthquakes are what we call is the heavy damage and partial collapse. But it's saddening to see so many buildings that failed in what we call the Pancake type of collapse that makes the rescue, of course, always very difficult. It's a widespread. So it becomes just it's -- essentially an action to save lives as soon as possible. That's something that you are witnessing, but we never wanted to witness.
ANDERSON: Yes. Look, I mean, you make a point. I mean, there are real complaints now about the effectiveness of the Turkish response to this. They may or may not be warranted according to whether you feel that this is just one of these catastrophic situations where, you know, it would just have been very difficult to cope even if authorities were prepared for something like this. There will be others who say that the response has just not been good enough.
You talk about the Pancake collapse that you see behind me. As a structural engineer, what are you thinking? What's going through your mind when you see something like this?
ERDIK: Well, a good building has essentially three lines of defense. The first line of defense are the walls, infill walls and outside walls. Those are made from, in this case, crowd from hollow bricks. And the second line of defense is the walls of concrete in the carrying members. Those are beams and columns. And the third line of defense is the quilt of steel.
If you lose those line of defenses, and then if you start having what we call hinges at the beam and column joints, then it becomes a mechanism. And then the floors pile up on each other, and then it's just like a deck of carts. And then that makes the rescue operations almost impossible, especially for buildings more than three storey high. That's why so many groups are, you know, working on the search and rescue.
But as you have pointed out, it's a very difficult job, and especially if you want to deal with probably thousands of buildings at a given time.
[01:15:07]
ANDERSON: Yes. And the buildings surrounding the one that I'm in front of here are incredibly insecure. We've been showing our viewers these buildings that if my cameraman can just pull out to see the building next to this one was identified critical to that which has collapsed. So you can just see and it's very insecure and listening to the left, and it's full of cracks at this point.
You know, we'll wonder why it is that one building goes down and another remains intact. But you will be well aware as an earthquake engineer, that the concern will be as much as the search and rescue which continues. It will be the challenge of ensuring that this building doesn't come down on top of this one that's already collapsed. There's an awful lot that is going on with sort of the advice that you can give, and the sort of people who are involved in your line of work to ensure that these search and rescues are as effective and efficient as possible. Thank you very much indeed for joining us.
John, that is the picture here in Gaziantep and across the region, not least in northwest Syria, as Salma was reporting. You got to hope for miracles in situations like this, haven't you? And we are still hearing those stories, those miraculous stories, but I fear that they will be few and far between in the hours to come. John.
VAUSE: The miracles do happen, but as you say over time, they become fewer and fewer.
ANDERSON: Yes.
VAUSE: Thanks, Becky. When we come back, guess who's coming for dinner? North Korea's leader Kim Jonh-un back in public view, just in time for a banquet to celebrate a big military anniversary. And it's not just Kim showing up for dinner. We'll tell you who else. Also ahead.
Amid the ongoing fears fighting in eastern Ukraine, Russia is claiming to have made some territorial gains. Ukrainians disagree. More on that in a moment.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Speaker, The President of the United States.
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VAUSE: U.S. President Joe Biden has delivered his first State of the Union with the Republican majority in the lower House. Earlier in the day, Speaker Kevin McCarthy pleaded with fellow Republicans to be respectful, if not to the president than the office of the presidency. But a handful were not.
The President was repeatedly booed and heckled. When he criticized Republicans for proposing cuts to Social Security and Medicare, Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene yelled, Liar.
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JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: Some of my Republican friends want to take the economy hostage. I get it. Unless I agree to their economic plans. Instead of making the wealthy pay their fair share, some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security sunset. I'm not saying it's a majority.
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Let me give you anybody who doubts it, contact my office. I'll give you a copy. I'll give you a copy of the proposal. That means Congress doesn't vote. I'm glad. Glad to see you. I tell you, I enjoy conversion.
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VAUSE: At times, the president gave as good as he got, despite an earlier appeal to Republicans to work with the White House and find agreement through compromise.
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BIDEN: And to my Republican friends, if we could work together the last Congress, there's no reason we can't work together and find consensus on important things in this Congress as well. I think, folks, you all are as formed as I am, but I think the people sent us a clear message fighting for the sake of fighting, power for the sake of power. Conflict for the sake of conflict gets us nowhere.
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VAUSE: The China balloon incursion the president went on the offensive saying the decision to shoot it down was about protecting American sovereignty and a sign of strength. There was a victory lap of sorts as well on Ukraine telling the American people the U.S. has kept its promise, standing up to a bully and defending freedom as well as democracy.
Live to Hong Kong for more on this, CNN's Kristie Lu Stout. It's interesting how Biden to sort of try to, you know, stare down the Republicans over, you know, the time it took to shoot down this balloon wasn't too long. Did he wait too long? I'm wondering, how will that be received in Beijing?
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and you know, he had that domestic pressure to address it. He did not directly reference the Chinese balloon, but it was certainly implied. We are awaiting official reaction from Beijing to the State of the Union. But it's interesting because earlier CNN learned that China was, of course, included in the original text of the State of the Union address long before the Chinese balloon slipped into American airspace last week and caused this entire political uproar in the United States and also across the world between U.S. and China, and also caused the U.S. Secretary of State to cancel his plan.
And It added that sense of urgency to the U.S. president and his messaging about the U.S.-China relationship, about competition with China. I want you to take a listen to this.
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BIDEN: I'm committed to work with China where we can advance American interests and benefit the world. But make no mistake about it, as we made clear last week, if China threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country. And we did.
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LU STOUT: Now, since the U.S. military shut down the Chinese balloon with a U.S. fighter jet, Chinese rhetoric has hardened significantly. You know, we learned that the Chinese Hsiao Shiaxer (ph), its top official in Washington, DC. has lodged stern representations with officials at the U.S. State Department as well as the White House National Security Council over the shooting down of the balloon.
We also learned according to the Pentagon that when the Pentagon requested a conversation between the U.S. Secretary of Defense and his Chinese counterpart immediately after the shooting down the balloon, the Chinese declined the offer.
And then you had the statement that was delivered on Tuesday from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when they said, look, we're aware that the United States is currently recovering debris of the downed Chinese balloon, analyzing it, but even the debris belongs to us. This will bring up the statement is what we heard from the spokesperson of Mao Ning. She said the airship is China's, not the US's. She went on to say the United States should have handled it properly in a calm, professional, non-forceful manner, but its insistence on using force is a clear overreaction. Unquote.
China insists that the balloon, the civilian vessel somehow blew or veered off course. And it did offer that rare expression of regret on Friday. That was before it was down by the U.S. fighter jet. The U.S. says it was used for spycraft. John.
VAUSE: Kristie, thank you. Kristie Lu Stout live for us in Hong Kong. And the latest word on the Chinese spy balloon comes from U.S. intelligence, which says it was part of a much larger military surveillance program. Officials familiar with the intelligence say the People's Liberation Army operates a fleet of similar spy balloons which have conducted at least two dozen missions over five continents.
Other countries now claim spy balloons from China have floated over their territory as well. Taiwan also says the balloons have floated over the island, adding it should not be tolerated by the international community. More now from CNN's Will Ripley reporting in from Taipei.
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WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): This Chinese propaganda video released just days ago shows the military muscle of China's People's Liberation Army. The PLA promising to reunite with Taiwan. Planning to build up bullet train across the Taiwan Strait. Pledging to take control of this island of almost 24 million, bringing the self-governing democracy under communist control.
One of the Chinese military's tools high altitude balloons. They've been testing them for years.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They just shot it.
[01:25:02]
RIPLEY: The U.S. shot down this suspected Chinese spy balloon last week. Beijing calls it a civilian weather balloon. CNN obtained images of similar Chinese balloons hovering over Taiwan in recent months, including this one on New Year's Eve and this one a few months earlier. At least four balloon sightings in the last two years, says Su Tzu-yun, director of Taiwan's Institute for National Defense and Security Research.
He says the island's relatively small size, about the same as the state of Florida, gives Taiwan's military limited time to intercept balloons or even shoot them down.
SU TZU-YUN, TAIWAN INST. OF NATL. DEFENSE AND SECURITY RESEARCH: Their spies balloon across to the Montana state, a very important ICBM site of the United States.
RIPLEY: Su says balloons can capture high resolution images of sensitive sites, potentially making China's ICBMs more accurate. Taipei says Chinese spy balloons should not be tolerated by the international community.
Last year, dozens of civilian drones from China captured videos of Taiwanese military outposts. Soldiers responded with rocks and flares, managing to shoot at least one drone down. Taiwan's defense ministry says 121 Chinese military planes flew near the island just last month.
LEV NACHMAN, POLITICAL SCIENTIST: So Taiwan is one of those places that is constantly under this kind of threatening surveillance.
RIPLEY: Taipei based political scientist Lev Nachman tells me the balloon scandal sets back months of crucial diplomacy. U.S.-China tensions could flare up even more if U.S. House speaker Kevin McCarthy goes ahead with plans to visit Taiwan, following former speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip last year, triggering Chinese outrage and massive military drills around Taiwan. Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei.
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VAUSE: The North Korean leader is celebrating 75 years of the Korean people's army with his wife and daughter. They made several public appearances, according to state media, and a military parade could happen anytime now. CNN's Paula Hancocks following this live from Seoul. We always look for something in these military parades. What is it this time?
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, that's the question. You know that every single North Korean expert around the world will be watching closely because these kind of military parades are not just showing what Kim Jong-un has achieved and what the Korean people's army has achieved, but also can sometimes give clues as to what he wants to achieve, so what his intentions are.
So we will be watched very closely. Of course, if it does happen, we never know for sure if these military parades are going to happen until we actually see them or hear from North Korea itself.
What we have heard, though, is that commercial satellite imagery has been seen by a number of international experts and think tanks that pour over this kind of satellite imagery. And they have seen practices ongoing. They have seen thousands of people in Kim Il-sung square, where these parades usually are, and they believe that this has been the practice for this kind of parade.
And it is a significant anniversary. Any anniversary that has a zero or a five at the end is generally played up by Pyongyang. So this is the 75th anniversary of the founding of the country's military. And there's been a real military theme over the last couple of days.
Today, this Wednesday, state run media published photos of Kim Jong- un, his wife and his daughter visiting military barracks of the KPA generals.
Now, he thanked them. He also said he wants to see the strengthening of the military in a speech he gave. And it comes just a day after he had a meeting with key military leaders saying that he wants to see more drills, more combat operational training from his military and that they have to increase the war readiness.
So we're really seeing this military theme very significantly over this anniversary. What we could see tonight, some local media has been speculating, is it could be a massive military parade.
Often, in fact, the past four times, Pyongyang has held these parades in the middle of the night or 10:00 at night. So in darkness. And we could well know within hours if we are about to see exactly what Kim Jong-un wants us to see, what his military prowess is, what his ability is, and potentially what his intentions are. John.
VAUSE: Paula. Thank you. Paula Hancocks live for us in Seoul. We know you'll be watching that parade as well. Still ahead, row upon row of collapsed buildings. This is the Turkish city closest to the epicenter of the powerful earthquake. CNN is on the scene as ordering people risk their lives trying to find survivors.
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VAUSE: Welcome back. I'm John Vause. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.
The death toll from Monday's powerful earthquake in Turkey and Syria has topped 7,900 with tens of thousands injured. Aid agencies are particularly worried about victims in Syria where nearly 30 percent of the population was already relying on humanitarian assistance before this disaster.
UNICEF official in Aleppo says hospitals are overloaded. People already traumatized by 12 years of civil war now enduring the devastation from one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the region in close to a century.
Thousands of buildings have collapsed. Rescue efforts have been hampered by freezing conditions, blocked roads, damaged infrastructure and violent aftershocks. This young girls comforted her siblings while rescuers workers worked to free her and her family. The epicenter of Monday's 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit just north of
the Turkey-Syria border. The U.S. Geological Survey says there have be4en at least 125 aftershocks with a magnitude of 4.0 or greater. Some nearly as powerful as the first quake itself.
CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is near the epicenter and filed this report and a warning. It contains graphic images.
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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You can still almost feel the enormity of the tremors here. This is Kahramanmaras, closest to the epicenter, one older neighborhood shredded. It's family warmth, huddling on the street.
Rotekh's (ph) father is trapped under the rubble here. Only his feet protrude. They can't get him out but can cover his toes.
"It would be really nice," he says, "if the government had come by."
Turan (ph) retrieved his 8-year-old daughter, wife and daughter-in-law -- pray you never stand over so much of your life, the final dignity from a carpet.
Push down, and there are glimmers of hope. These rescuers have spotted a 12-year-old, Mustafa (ph), in the rubble and have to dig down to him. Further along, Ali helped him find his 65-year-old mother.
"She's in her bed down there," he says. "We'll get her out soon."
There is not much sign of government here. Perhaps as the scale of this is all too massive.
Dusk makes the dust and the immense bulk of the mass harder still. The cold just an insult in the days of emptiness that lie ahead.
[01:34:47]
WALSH: And the news from the rubble is as often as bad as it is good. A body found here carried out and laid next to this man's nine-year- old daughter, Lerenz (ph).
The black here hiding the intimate agonies buried in it. The stories with the wrong ending.
But suddenly there is a call for quiet, hush. They think they hear a voice. A pause and then the best noise, joy. Rescuers think they might have found six people alive but there are hours more ahead of checking.
But nothing really goes to plan here. Even the joy seems random. Where Ali's mother is being rescued, two young people are unexpectedly found and pulled out -- a 16-year-old girl apparently still alive.
An extraordinary moment of joy kind of thing that really all of Turkey is desperately hoping and waiting for. But as the temperatures drop and time goes by, they will become harder to come by. But extraordinary to see. Somebody pulled so hopefully straight out of this building.
Abdullah seemed unscathed, almost untouched by the tremors that altered everything else as he emerges (INAUDIBLE).
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN -- Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: An update now, the death toll from this quake has crossed 8,400 -- we just found that that out.
For more on the challenges posed by the freezing conditions, meteorologist Britley Ritz is at the CNN Weather Center with more.
So obviously there is this hope that it will warm-up at least a little in the coming days.
BRITLEY RITZ, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Unfortunately that's not going to be the case with the area of low pressure that's been hanging nearby. We may get a degree or two but that's pretty much it.
Winds are now filtering out of the north. So with that, the wind combined with the actual temperatures as already right at freezing, it feels much colder. We are heading into one of the coldest points of the year.
Right now in Aleppo, zero, at least we've made it up a few degrees as we progress through the morning. But many of us staying below zero through the morning hours.
The area of low pressure slowly kicking out, with that the moisture kicks out too. You're noting the purples and the oranges, that is the deep moisture that I'm talking about.
But notice the clearing. With the clearing all the heat will escape back up into the atmosphere especially through the overnight hours and early morning hours, that's why it is so much colder than what it normally is.
Plus of course, that front has moved through. With the front came the showers and the snow showers. Most of the moisture will wind down here within the next days' time as the skies clear out.
But again, then the colder air really starts to set in. You'll see the darker blues -- that is frigid air as temperatures stay below zero through the morning hours for many of us including Aleppo.
For the wind chill, we factor in the winds. It feels like seven below already this morning. And afternoon highs really don't do much justice. While we get above zero, we're still staying below low normal, around eight degrees in Aleppo, John.
VAUSE: Britley Ritz, thank you for that. We appreciate the update.
And joining me now from Gaziantep is Meryem Aslan, spokesperson for the Oxfam charity in Turkey. Miriam, thank you for taking the time.
It's bitterly cold in parts of the country, much of it in fact. So what impact does that have on how long someone could actually survive under the rubble? We know obviously it shortens the length (INAUDIBLE), rescuers have to reach them.
MERYEM ASLAN, SPOKESPERSON, OXFAM CHARITY IN TURKEY: I mean, I think it is the cold but also the time passing. As you know, it's been over 52 hours that the earthquake happened. As the time passes, the chances of rescuing people becomes harder. And when it is cold of course, it is becoming even harder. It affects the rescue efforts.
But on top of that -- on top of the weather, there are still areas that people are trying to dig by their hands and trying to reach their relatives.
The rescue teams have not been able to reach everywhere yet. I was traveling throughout the night yesterday and I passed a place. 50 kilometer area from Gaziantep and I saw all those people, the place has completely collapsed.
[01:39:53]
ASLAN: And all those people racing outside the rubble in front of a fire trying to dig by hands and screaming for the loved ones. It is extremely, extremely difficult.
And as you know, the death toll in Turkey already reached 6,000. And we are very, very afraid that we are racing with time and the chances are running thin.
VAUSE: Since the damage and the destruction and the death is extensive in the scale and the (INAUDIBLE) mile sort of quake's journey if you like, where most of the damage occurred. Have you seen anything like this in your time with disaster relief? And anything of this skull, this piece.
ASLAN: I was doing a needs assessment in 1999 earthquake in Turkey. So I was (INAUDIBLE) and I love doing the earthquake assessment then as well.
This is not anything like I've seen before in Turkey at least. And as you know, it has been called as disaster of the century. And I mean many scientists in Turkey say this is the biggest earthquake Turkey has experienced. Maybe in our known history -- in the recorded history.
VAUSE: Looking beyond the immediate needs for survivors, you know, water, food shelter, how long do you think it will take for this region to recover. I mean Turkey better equipped for recovery criteria. But both are facing a tough road ahead.
ASLAN: Yes, I mean it is sex related to that. I mean Syria is dealing with the civil war as you know. And this came on top of that.
I mean in Syria, you already have 15 million people in need. But in Turkey as well, at the moment, the 10 provinces that are affected. There are 13 million people leaving in these provinces.
So you need to understand that 13 million people in the region have been affected in one way or another. And it is estimated that close to 11,000 feet building, maybe more are his already being collapsed. So I told to our colleagues that are supporting search and rescue teams.
They tell me that it will take at least three or four months to clean the rubble in these areas. And then it will come reconstruction, rehabilitation and so on. Yet the people need immediate needs can be met immediately, you know. There are, again, when I was coming yesterday, two out there obviously, all these trucks coming. Helping people.
Really organize the private sector. This (INAUDIBLE) moment. The government trying to reach people. But they can meet those needs now maybe. But I think there is construction phase. It will take Turkey maybe a year or two.
VAUSE: Meryem Aslan there with Oxfam. We appreciate your time and best of luck to you with the work you're doing. Thank you.
ASLAN: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
VAUSE: If you are looking for information on how to help earthquake survivors please go to CNN.com/impact. There you will find a list of organizations working on rescue and relief efforts. Again that's CNN.com slash impact.
Ukrainian defense intelligence has dismissed Russian claims of gains on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine where heavy fighting is ongoing.
Ukrainian forces they say are continuing to defend areas in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions after Russia's defense minister claimed Russian troops had taken control of several small settlements. Russia also claimed operations were progressing near Bakhmut and Vuhledar.
Meantime, a top Ukrainian official in the Luhansk region says Russian forces in the east appear to be stockpiling ammunition and building up troop reserves ahead of a full scale offensive.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed the need for a quick delivery of weapons and military equipment during a meeting with the German defense ministry in Kyiv. This comments as the German army announced Leopard 2 battle tanks from Germany will be ready for Ukraine to use at the end of March.
Hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers are already undergoing training. Zelenskyy thanked Germany for the support.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Recent decisions taken by the tank coalition in cooperation between our European friends and our mystery of Defense can really give us parity. Not an advantage though on the battlefield. But for this one, needs to understand that everything depends as
always on the timeframe. On the amount and on the up-to-dateness of your tanks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[01:44:59]
VAUSE: Ukraine's defense minister posted a photo alongside the German Defense Minister who was holding a miniature model of a Leopard 2 battle tank.
All the versions of the tank will also be coming during his visit. The German defense minister announced a joint agreement between his country, Denmark and the Netherlands to send more than 100 Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine by next spring.
CNN's Clare Sebastian following developments and has more now from London.
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CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The question of when and how Russia could mount a new offensive continues to dominate the conflict in Ukraine in particular when it comes to the Donbas region in the east of the country.
The head of the Luhansk Community Administration says Russia is bringing in more ammunition but using less of it, suggesting it is stockpiling in that area.
It's also he says amassing tens of thousands of mobilized troops in the area, saying the quantity is the major threat with Ukraine.
Well, the head the Donetsk region also noting an accumulation of Russian troops. In an interview this week.
And a top Ukrainian intelligence officials is warning them maybe more to come. But as head of Ukraine's defense intelligence, says Russia is preparing for another round of mobilization, potentially even bigger than the first. The Kremlin has completely denied this.
And if Ukraine is worried about Russia's growing troop numbers, Russia is worried about Ukraine's growing supply of western weapons. Russia's defense ministry Tuesday hinting a potential retaliation.
SERGEI SHOIGU, RUSSIAN DFENSE MINISTER (through translator): The U.S. and allies are trying to drag out the conflict as long as possible. for this they have moved to provide heavy offensive weapons, openly urging the Ukrainians to capture our territories.
These steps in effect, draw NATO countries into the conflict and could lead to an unpredictable level of its escalation.
SEBASTIAN: Right now there is not a lot of movement on the front lines. Russian efforts to take the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region continue. President Zelenskyy meanwhile saying his forces continue to resist there.
Clare Sebastian, CNN -- London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Still ahead here on CNN, another wave of pension reform protests is sweeping across France. We'll have a detailed report up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: Australia's Reserve Bank has raised official interest rates. There's more hikes likely in the months ahead.
The cash rate went up a quart er of a percent on Tuesday to 3.35 percent, for its consumer price index shows an annual inflation rate of almost 8 percent. as of last December. The Reserve Bank's targeted to replace him is two to three percent.
Thousands of protesters in Paris demonstrating against a proposed pension reform. The French interior ministry says more than 750,000 people marched across the country but the turnout was lower than the last two rounds of protests.
CNN's Jim Bittermann has been following the developments and has all the details.
[01:50:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No question, a lot of people in the streets protesting today. Protesting against Mr. Macron's plan to reform the retirement age here to bump it up from 62 years to 64 years old.
This is something he has been after since practically his first day in office. Now, there is a bill in the National Assembly that would do this. It's the enabling legislation. There are already thousands of amendments that have been filed against this though it's very likely it won't be heard until end of march.
So you may see things like this demonstration going on in the near future and in fact, on Saturday already, the union jack calling for another demonstrations just like this one. So in fact, it will be something that's hope tested, probably for some time to come here.
Jim Bittermann, CNN -- Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: In the coming hours, the Walt Disney Company is set to release its first earnings report since the return of former CEO Bob Iger. He left Disney in 2020 handing the reins to Bob Chapek.
VAUSE: He led the company through the start of the pandemic, and other high profile challenges. Disney's earnings are expected to fall nearly 30 percent from last year despite high revenue coming from increased theme park ticket sales and the recent success of James Cameron's "Avatar" sequel.
But the House on the Mouse has other concerns a well. Some say they're the victims of political retribution after the company spoke out against policy put in place by Florida's governor.
Now the fate of Walt Disney World's self governing district is at stake thanks to a new bill.
CNN's Leyla Santiago has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS (R-FL): We fight the woke in the legislature. We fight the woke in the schools. We fight the woke in the corporations.
LEYLA SANTIAGO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Echoing his election victory speech, a new development in a year-long feud between Governor Ron DeSantis and Disney.
A bill filed by Florida lawmakers would give the governor more control over who governs Walt Disney World Resort. Florida Republicans aiming to turn over control of Disney's special taxing district called the Reedy Creek Improvement District to a five member board chosen personally by the Florida governor.
For more than half a century the Reedy Creek, the 25,000 acre independent special district has allowed Walt Disney World to self govern its Orlando area theme parks. Maintaining roads, buildings, utilities, even its own fire department.
The board is run by land owners with close ties to Disney.
DESANTS: We should not let one company have their own set of rules compared to everybody else.
SANTIAGO: But critics say the move directed at Disney is not about fairness, it's about exacting political retribution.
LINDA STEWART, FLORIDA STATE SENATE DEMOCRAT: I think that the governor has decided that anyone that goes against what he thinks is the right thing to do for Florida, they call it woke, then they have to be dealt with.
SANTIAGO: So you see this as retaliation?
STEWART: Well, I do. In many respects, I do.
SANTIAGO: Retaliation after Disney, the state's largest single site employer spoke out about Florida's efforts to limit how sexual orientation and gender identity are discussed in classrooms, efforts that DeSantis supported. Republicans deny it's about payback.
RANDY FINE, FLORIDA STATE HOUSE REPUBLICAN: What happened is by Disney alienating the people of , Florida they lost the political capital that prevented this good idea from happening. It's not retaliation.
SANTIAGO: Disney and DeSantis had not always been at odds. DeSantis was married at Disney and in recent years the company has financially backed DeSantis, contributing more than $100,000 to his political action committee after he was elected governor.
Disney also gave more than one point $3 million to the Florida Republican Party during DeSantis's first term.
DESANTIS: Making sure Disney does not have self governing status anymore.
SANTIAGO: But now Florida Republicans say this is the proposal needed to level the playing field, taking away special privileges from Disney and laying out who is in charge.
And remember this is a Republican led legislature so by all accounts this is expected to pass by the end of the week. In which case, if that happens, the next question will be who will Governor DeSantis appoint.
Leyla Santiago, CNN -- Tallahassee.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. We'll be right back after a very short break. See you in a moment.
[01:54:17]
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VAUSE: Welcome back everyone.
Lebron James is now the NBA's all-time leading scorer after breaking a record which had stood since 1984.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lebron, one-on-one against (INAUDIBLE) Williams. Backing him in. Turns, shoots. Scores. there it is. All hail, your new king in town. Young and old gather around. From one iconic Laker to another. The king Lebron James has passed the captain, Kareem Abdul- Jabbar and Lebron now stands alone as the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: That was the call as James hit the record breaking shot in the L.A. Lakers game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday. It took James 20 seasons and just over 1,400 games to pass the former record hold Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The game was paused for a brief celebration, honoring the achievement. And James was joined on the court by his family as well as Laker legends Magic Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar. On that note, I'll say thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause.
Please stay with us. CNN NEWSROOM continues with my colleague and friend Rosemarie Church after a short break.
See you back here tomorrow.
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[01:59:53]
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. And welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.
Just ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM. In the last few minutes, there's been a big jump in the death toll in Turkey and Syria as rescue crews race against the clock in a desperate search for earthquake --
