Thu, 28 September 2023
The Daily Ittefaq

Turkey-Syria earthquakes: UN fears death toll could double

Update : 12 Feb 2023, 16:17

The death toll has passed 28,000, but people are still being pulled from the rubble. The focus has shifted to helping the survivors.

Rescuers in Turkey have pulled more people from the rubble of Monday's earthquakes, but hopes were fading in Turkey and Syria that many more survivors would be found.

UN relief chief Martin Griffiths has said he expects the death toll to at least double, after he arrived in southern Turkey on Saturday to assess the quake's damage.

With a death toll of at least 24,517 in Turkey, the disaster is already in the list of the top 10 deadliest earthquakes ever. More than 3,500 have died in Syria, where death tolls have not been updated since Friday.

Between Monday and Saturday, the area experienced more than 2,000 aftershocks, according to Turkey's AFAD disaster authority.

Greece's foreign minister, Nikos Dendias, his visiting quake-hit areas neighboring Turkey in a show of support.

He was met at the airport by his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu before they flew to Antakya, where Greek rescuers are helping with search and rescue operations.

Greece's foreign minister, Nikos Dendias, his visiting quake-hit areas neighboring Turkey in a show of support.

He was met at the airport by his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu before they flew to Antakya, where Greek rescuers are helping with search and rescue operations.

Despite a history of rivalry with Turkey, Greece was among the first European countries to send rescue workers and humanitarian aid a few hours after the disaster.

The Greek government has sent 80 tonnes of medical and first aid equipment.

According to the foreign ministry, Dendias and Cavusoglu will discuss ways Greece can further assist Turkey.

 

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