The death toll is expected to rise significantly as hundreds of people remain trapped under the rubble
A never-ending nightmare since the deadly 7.8-magnitude earthquake that shook southeastern Turkey and northwestern Syria, the number of victims amounted to 7,826, while tens of thousands are injured and homeless in the two countries.
Turkey’s Vice President Fuat Oktay announced late Tuesday that at least 5,894 people had died and 34,810 were injured in the earthquakes. The damages in Turkey are currently estimated at 40 to 50 billion dollars.
Hatay… pic.twitter.com/xJ6OFrujOh
— Deprem Bolgesi (@DepremBolgesi_) February 8, 2023
The dead in Syria amount to 1,932, according to a newer tally based on data provided by the health ministry and rescuers. According to a statement by the country’s Ministry of Health, 812 people were killed and 1,449 injured in the areas under the control of government forces in the provinces of Aleppo (north), Lattakia (west), Hama (central) and Tartous (northwest). . In rebel-held areas of northwestern Syria, 1,120 people were killed and another 2,500 wounded, according to rescuers.
The number of victims is expected to increase significantly, as hundreds of people remain trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings and rescue teams race against time to find survivors.
According to the report, over 800 are the dead in Antioch and 60% of the city is destroyed. The center is in chaos as most of the buildings have been leveled. At the same time the absence of humanitarian aid is visible. People with their bare hands, without any help from rescue crews dig and search for their people under the debris. The devastation left behind by the 7.8 Richter on Monday is incalculable. According to SKAI’s correspondent in Turkey, Manolis Kostidis, the riots in the area are few, the scenes minimal and the police invisible. Today some trucks arrived in the city to offer help. The images of children living in cars are shocking. For the residents, life in Antioch is over after the killer earthquake, as they say.
A state of emergency for three months, announced at noon on Tuesday Tayyip Erdogan for the 10 regions of Turkey hit by Monday’s devastating earthquakes, home to more than 13.5 million people.
The Turkish Defense Minister, Hulusi Akar stated on Tuesday that about 7,500 Turkish soldiers are working to assist in rescue operations. He also said 1,500 people would be added to the rescue team on Wednesday and that 75 military aircraft were stationed. A total of nine commando battalions arrived in the area from the west and four commando battalions from Cyprus will come to the area, he underlined. The vice president of Turkey Fuat Oktai, stated that over 8,000 people have been rescued and that above 20,000 rescuers are involved in the rescue operations. The mobilization to send aid to Turkey is global with rescue crews now racing against time to locate survivors under tons of rubble and under harsh weather conditions.
More than 5,000 buildings have collapsed in Turkey
According to the director general of the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD), Orhan Tatar, at least 5,775 buildings collapsed. According to the Turkish Interior Minister, Suleyman Soylu, 941 buildings have been completely destroyed in the city of Kahramanmaras alone.
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With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
