The number of victims of the earthquake in Turkey has risen to 3.4 thousand, more than 20 thousand people were injured.

This was reported by the Anadolu agency with reference to the representative of the Office for the Prevention and Elimination of Consequences of Emergency Situations (AFAD) under the Turkish government, Orhan Tatar.

It is specified that serious destruction was recorded in at least ten Turkish provinces.

At least 5.7 thousand buildings were destroyed in the emergency zone.

The Turkish authorities, against the backdrop of the current situation, urged residents not to return to damaged houses.

According to TASS, citing a source in the diplomatic services, one Russian died in the earthquake.

State flags have been flown at half mast throughout the country in connection with the national mourning, which was introduced by Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

In accordance with this decision, flags throughout Turkey and in the country's missions abroad will be at half mast before sunset on Sunday, February 12.

Earlier, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said that in total, more than 7.8 thousand people were pulled alive from the rubble.

Over 330,000 residents of Turkey are housed in hostels, universities and shelters.

Recall, according to AFAD, in the province of Kahramanmaras in southeastern Turkey around 04:00 on February 6, a devastating earthquake occurred, the magnitude of which, according to the latest information, was 7.7.

Around 13:00 on the same day, another earthquake of magnitude 7.6 occurred in the region of Elbistan province.

More than 13,000 rescuers are working in the earthquake zone in Turkey, AFAD said.

360 units of construction equipment and over 3.3 thousand units of other equipment were involved in the search and rescue operation.

During the day, 154 flights were made along the air assistance corridor formed by the Turkish military, on which rescue teams, equipment and humanitarian cargo were transferred.

According to Anadolu, at least 37 such flights were made overnight.

More than 60 rescue groups from more than 50 countries offered the Turkish side assistance in eliminating the consequences of the emergency.

Among the states that sent specialists to Turkey, Russia.

As Daniil Martynov, adviser to the head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, explained, the Russian airmobile group heading to Turkey consists of more than 100 rescuers from the Centrospas squad.

Martynov emphasized that we are talking about international-class specialists who have vast experience in working around the world.

“We brought with us all the necessary emergency equipment, and a lot of the latest models.

These are endoscopes, these are locators that are capable of finding people at a depth of up to 4.5 m, ”said the adviser to the head of the Ministry of Emergencies, adding that dog handlers were included in the group.

As Martynov stressed, the work of rescuers will go around the clock.

The earthquake also affected the territory of Syria.

As a result of the emergency, which affected the northern part of the country, according to the latest data, at least 800 people died, more than 1.4 thousand were injured.

This was reported by the SANA agency with reference to the Ministry of Health of the Republic.

Military personnel of the Russian group of forces in this country are participating in the elimination of the consequences of the state of emergency in Syria.

As told in the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, they are sorting out the rubble in Latakia.

“Consolidated detachments, using special equipment, are clearing rubble in several settlements in the province of Latakia,” the ministry said in a statement.

It is emphasized that in each place of work, the duty of medical and nursing teams from the special purpose medical detachment is organized.

A plane with rescuers, dog handlers and special equipment of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation also arrived in Syria.

According to RIA Novosti, there were 50 specialists on the plane.