Passenger and freight trains were mobilized by the TCDD Transportation General Directorate affiliated to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure to meet the emergency needs of the region and to send aid teams and equipment to the region in the earthquake, the epicenter of which was Kahramanmaraş and caused destruction in a wide geographical area.
Within the scope of the works carried out under the coordination of AFAD, the waiting rooms of the stations and stations, social facilities were opened to the service of the earthquake victims 7/24 in order to meet the shelter and heating needs of the earthquake victims in harsh winter conditions, while passenger wagons from different points of our country were sent to the earthquake zone with aid materials. From the first day, Adana, Osmaniye, Iskenderun, Payas, Fevzipasa, Malatya, Diyarbakir, Elazig and Gaziantep were made to meet the shelter needs of earthquake victims. Thus, a warm and safe accommodation environment was provided to the citizens affected by the earthquake.
The out-of-use wagons of the passenger trains were repaired and transformed and sent to the region for the emergency shelter needs of the earthquake victims. In this way, a significant amount of shelter capacity was provided.
On the other hand, Malatya-Ankara, Malatya-Kayseri, Adana-Kayseri, Adana-Konya, Iskenderun-Denizli, Ceyhan-Adana-Tarsus-Mersin, Sivas-Ankara-Konya-Karaman etc. for the evacuation of earthquake victims from the disaster area. “Free Disaster Victim Transfer Trains” were put into service on the lines, providing free transportation of earthquake victims.
Currently, free evacuation of earthquake victims from the earthquake zone to other provinces continues with the train services organized by the General Directorate of Transport of TCDD.
On the other hand, within the scope of the expeditions made to bring aid teams to the region to participate in the rescue efforts in the region, volunteer doctors, military personnel, high-speed train and mainline train transfer to the earthquake region, the miner group to Zonguldak-Karabük-Saltukova Airport, and also the volunteer rescue group from Istanbul to Istanbul. - It was delivered to the region in connection with the high-speed train via the Konya-Karaman-Iskenderun route.
TCDD Transportation General Directorate also mobilized freight trains to deliver aid equipment and materials to the region in order to meet the needs of the earthquake region and to be a bit of ointment for its wounds.
While various aid materials have been delivered to the region, new freight train services continue.
In order to support the sheltering needs of the region, living containers set out by trains, while other needs such as construction equipment, mobile toilets, tents, water, food, heating blankets, beds are delivered to the earthquake zone by trains. Apart from the containers, a total of various aid materials are delivered to their destinations and the materials are distributed.
Aid materials sent from Romania, Germany and Azerbaijan were also delivered to the earthquake zone by trains.
Aid materials brought to Kapıkule by road from abroad are quickly handled, put in covered wagons, and sent to the earthquake zone by trains.
In addition to these, fuel oil to meet the energy needs of the earthquake region and coal to meet the heating need are transported by rail.
The fire in the Iskenderun port container area, which emerged with the earthquake and posed a great threat, was intervened with the "Fire Extinguishing and Rescue Train" of the General Directorate of TCDD Transportation, which is a first in Turkey, produced nationally and locally.
In addition, the works for putting the railway vehicles derailed or overturned due to the intensity of the earthquake to the railway are about to be completed.
Apart from this, expert personnel in Samsun and Kayseri, who received training to respond to railway failures and incidents, are sent to the region to support the establishment of tents, electricity, generator and other mechanical failures.
The expert railway team from İzmir, Afyonkarahisar and Ankara joined the search and rescue efforts in the earthquake area with AFAD teams.
In this earthquake disaster, where our unity and solidarity was once again demonstrated, TCDD Tasimacilik train personnel also donated their 20-day rations to meet the food needs of the earthquake victims. The distribution of these rations, which is 3 thousand pieces per day, started to be made through the Red Crescent. More than 25 thousand ready-made food packages were distributed to the earthquake victims. On the other hand, TCDD Taşımacılık AŞ General Directorate and TCDD General Directorate personnel organized an aid campaign to meet the urgent basic needs of earthquake victims. Aid materials collected in various provinces were sent to the earthquake zone.