Erdogan: Earthquake death toll rose to 912, over 5,000 injured
Rescue operations are still underway, and people are still trapped under the rubble in collapsed buildings.
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People search through rubble following an earthquake in Diyarbakir, Turkey, on Feb 6, 2023. (Reuters)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that the death toll from a devastating earthquake in Turkey has risen to 912, while more than 5,000 people have been injured.
Earlier reports indicated that 284 people were killed and 2,383 were injured. "So far, 912 people have died and 5,385 people have been injured, 2,470 people have been rescued," Erdogan said.
Following the earthquake, Ankara received assistance offers from over 45 countries, according to the president, who added that over 9,000 people are involved in rescue operations.
Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) reported earlier in the day that a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the Kahramanmaras province at 01:17 GMT.
Earlier today, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, leveling houses while many were still sleeping, and spreading shocks as far away as Palestine and the island of Cyprus.
Images on television showed stunned citizens in Turkey standing in the snow in their pajamas, watching rescuers rummage through the debris of destroyed homes.
Terrified residents ran out of their homes after the ground shook, as per media reports.
