Earthquake in Turkey and Syria: death toll could exceed 10,000 victims
Firefighters recover the remains of victims from under the rubble of a building in Gaziantep, southeastern Turkey, February 8, 2023. © Kamran Jebreili / AP
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The death toll from the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria topped 9,600 on Wednesday as overwhelmed rescuers warned the death toll would rise significantly.
It could thus quickly exceed 10,000 dead.
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In Turkey, many people again slept in freezing temperatures, in their cars or on the streets, fearful of returning to buildings that were rocked by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake before dawn on Monday (February 6th).
Designated the deadliest in the country since 1999
, it was followed by dozens of aftershocks, including one of magnitude 7.7.
Two days after
the disaster
, rescuers continued to work in the rubble of buildings that had collapsed following the tremors, looking for people trapped under the debris.
The
death toll from the earthquakes
in southern Turkey on Wednesday morning stood at 7,108, according to the country's disaster management authority.
In neighboring Syria, already devastated by more than 11 years of war, the official death toll soared to more than 2,500 overnight, according to the Syrian government and a relief service operating in the rebel-held northwest.
In this region controlled by the rebellion, the death toll has risen to more than 1,280, according to the emergency services on site, and more than 2,600 injured have been recorded.
"
This number is expected to increase significantly due to the presence of hundreds of families under the rubble, more than 50 hours after the earthquake
," the rescue service said on Twitter.
In government-held areas, the death toll has risen to 1,250, according to the Syrian health minister, quoted by state media al-Ikhbariya on its Telegram feed.
The number of injured stands at 2,054, he added.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has
declared a state of emergency in ten provinces
.
But residents of several stricken Turkish towns are crying out in anger and despair at the authorities' slow and insufficient response.
President Erdogan, who faces an election in May whose outcome is uncertain, is expected to visit some of the affected areas on Wednesday.
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To read also:
Turkey, a long history of devastating earthquakes
(with agencies)
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