Over 4,300 killed in Turkey, Syria quake
The death toll in the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria has increased to more than 4,300 as rescuers are racing against time to find more survivors amid heavy rain and snow, according to reports.
The toll in Turkey stood at 2,921, while in Syria it increased to 1,451by Tuesday morning and at least 5,606 buildings were destroyed.
There were at least 15,834 injured persons, while 7,840 people were pulled alive, according to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
The devastating 7.8 earthquake struck Turkey’s southern province of Kahramanmaras at 4.17 a.m. on Monday morning, which was followed by a 6.4-magnitude temblor a few minutes later in Gaziantep province.
The epicentre of the 7.8-magnitude quake was 23 km east of Nurdagi in Gaziantep, at a depth of 24.1 km, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.
At around 1.30 p.m, a third 7.5-magnitude tremor hit Kahramanmaras, which officials said was “not an aftershock”.
There were more than 60 aftershocks recorded throughout the day.
Meanwhile in Syria, of the overall toll, 711 deaths were recorded across government-controlled areas, mostly in the regions of Aleppo, Hama, Latakia, and Tartus, CNN quoted state news agency SANA as saying.
The “White Helmets” group, officially known as the Syria Civil Defence, reported 740 deaths in opposition-controlled areas.
Much of northwestern Syria, which borders Turkey, is controlled by anti-government forces amid the ongoing bloody civil war that began in 2011.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned the toll may rise dramatically as search and rescue operations are still continuing in both the countries.
In the Turkish city of Osmaniye, near the epicentre, heavy rain hampered rescuers as they searched through the rubble looking for survivors. The city was left without power following the devastation.
The earthquake has also caused serious damage to three airports across Turkey, creating additional challenges for aid deliveries.
A host of countries have sent rescue workers to help the stricken region and have offered support.
India on Monday announced that two teams of NDRF comprising 100 personnel with specially trained dog squads and necessary equipment were ready to be flown to the affected regions.
Medical teams were also being readied with trained doctors and paramedics with essential medicines. Relief material would be dispatched in coordination with the Government of Republic of Turkey and Indian Embassy in Ankara and Consulate General office in Istanbul.