• Ar
  • Es
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Feature
  • Videos
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Feature
Videos
Infographs
In Pictures
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. MENA Europe
  4. Turkey-Syria earthquake death toll to top 50,000, UN warns
MENA

Turkey-Syria earthquake death toll to top 50,000, UN warns

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 12 Feb 14:07
  • 1 Shares

The United Nations says, according to estimates, that the current death toll from the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria may be doubled to 50,000.

  • People try to reach people trapped under the debris of a collapsed building in Malatya, Turkiye, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. (AP)
    People try to reach people trapped under the debris of a collapsed building in Malatya, Turkiye, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. (AP)

The death toll from the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria will "double or more" from its current level, which is approaching 30 thousand, according to the United Nations emergency relief coordinator.

"I think it is difficult to estimate precisely as we need to get under the rubble, but I'm sure it will double or more,” Martin Griffiths said.

"It's deeply shocking... the idea that these mountains of rubble still hold people, some of them still alive,” he said, adding that "we haven't really begun to count the number of dead."

Griffiths arrived in Turkey's southern city of Kahramanmaras on Saturday, the epicenter of the first 7.8-magnitude earthquake that rocked millions of people on Monday.

Hopes for those trapped under wreckage in Turkey are fading with each passing moment, Griffiths said, as rescue efforts in Syria were nearing completion. "They say 72 hours is the golden period (for rescues)," Griffiths said.

"But just now they have pulled out someone alive, an hour or two ago. It must be incredibly difficult to decide when to stop this rescue phase and move into the next phase, which is also going to have its problems," he added.

Read next: Turkey-Syria quakes equal power of hundreds of nuclear bombs: AFAD

24,617 people have been killed in Turkey and more than 4,000 in Syria, for a total confirmed death toll of 28,191, according to officials and medics.

Up to 5.3 million may be displaced in Syria

Tens of thousands of rescue workers are excavating through flattened neighborhoods and debris in subzero temperatures, with millions now in desperate need of assistance.

More than 32,000 disaster management personnel from Turkish organizations have been deployed in the affected areas and are working on search-and-rescue efforts, according to Turkey's disaster agency.

Apart from the national rescuers, there are also 8,294 international rescuers present. "Soon, the search and rescue people will make way for the humanitarian agencies, whose job is to look after the extraordinary numbers of those affected for the next months," Griffiths said in a video posted on Twitter.

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that around 26 million people have been affected by the earthquake as it launched a flash appeal on Saturday for $42.8 million to cope with immediate and overwhelming health needs. 

At least 870,000 people in Turkey and Syria require hot meals right now, according to the UN. In Syria alone, up to 5.3 million people may have been displaced.

Conditions in Syria are even worse, as the country has been hit by years of war backed by the West, and harsh American sanctions make it difficult to get aid into the Arab country.

It is "much more difficult for [Syria] to cope with this tragedy because of those desperately lost years," Griffiths said.

  • Syria
  • Turkey earthquake
  • Turkey
  • Turkey-Syria Earthquake
  • United Nations
  • WHO
  • Syria earthquake
Turkey-Syria Earthquake

Turkey-Syria Earthquake

Thousands have been killed and tens of thousands injured after a powerful earthquake rocked Turkey and Syria on Monday. The magnitude 7.8 quake was one of the strongest to strike the area in more than a century. Rescue workers are digging through debris in freezing conditions, while the death toll is on the rise.

Trending Now

All
Half empty make up bottles sent to Turkey-Syria earthquake survivors. (Twitter)

US, UK donating trash clothing for Turkey-Syria earthquake victims

Most Read

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at a press conference on 25, February, 2022. (AFP)

Kiev unable to launch counteroffensive: Zelensky

  • Europe
  • 25 Mar
Europe's move has only increased Putin’s esteem outside the West -- but estimation of Europe’s political nous and understanding of Russia, however, is sharply diminished.

Lawfare Comes into Fashion: The New Geo-political ‘Rack’

  • Analysis
  • 25 Mar
President Joe Biden listens as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Friday, March 3, 2023 (AP).

Hersh: Nord Stream explosion decision possibly 'anger' or 'punishment

  • US & Canada
  • 25 Mar
Crewmen enter Bradley fighting vehicles at a US military base at an undisclosed location in Northeastern Syria, on November 11, 2019 (AP)

US occupation bases under fire in Syria for second day in a row

  • MENA
  • 24 Mar

Read this

All
ds
Technology

TikTok data gathering charges applicable to US big tech: US senator

  • Today
China, Brazil announce de-dollarization of mutual trade
Latin America

China, Brazil announce de-dollarization of mutual trade

  • Today
A Lockheed Martin F-35 aircraft is seen at the ILA Air Show in Berlin. (Reuters)
US & Canada

Pentagon admits only half of its F-35 jet fleet is mission-ready

  • Today
Two US Army helicopters crash during training in Kentucky
US & Canada

Two US Army Black Hawk helicopters crash during training in Kentucky

  • Today
Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS