• 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
  4. Earthquake death toll exceeds 8,700, rescue efforts continue
MENA

Earthquake death toll exceeds 8,700, rescue efforts continue

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 8 Feb 08:54
  • 2 Shares

The death toll from the devastating earthquake in Syria and Turkey has exceeds 8,700, with the number expected to increase.

  •  Rescuers search through rubble of collapsed buildings following an earthquake, in the rebel-held town of Sarmada, Syria February 6, 2023 (Reuters).
    Rescuers search through rubble of collapsed buildings following an earthquake, in the rebel-held town of Sarmada, Syria February 6, 2023 (Reuters).

Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay announced early on Wednesday morning that the death toll of the devastating earthquake has reached 5,894. He further noted that the number of wounded in expected to be around 34,810 and growing. As for the rescued, the number has exceeded 8,000 people.

Turkey's disaster authorities would later announce that the death toll has risen to 6,234

"The loss of every citizen deeply saddens us," Oktay told reporters during a news conference, he then added that efforts continue to be underway as more people remain under the rubble.

According to the VP, approximately 5,775 buildings collapsed in Turkey.

As for Syria, the death toll has almost reached 2,470 people, which brings the total number of deaths from the earthquake in both countries to more than 8,700 people. As for the casualties in Syria, the number has exceeded 4,000 according to Al Mayadeen's correspondent

What happened so far

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake on Monday was one of the deadliest natural disasters to strike the region this century, and according to a report by The New York Times, dozens of countries sent rescue teams to help in the search. Experts warned that the window for finding survivors was closing in the aftermath of the quake.

The effort is made more difficult by the earthquake zone's location, which crosses Syrian territory under government and armed groups control, and is already troubled by a war and refugee crisis, according to the report. 

In a related context, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey declared on Tuesday a three-month state of emergency in 10 provinces affected by the earthquake. “We are face to face with one of the biggest disasters ever for our region,” he said in a nationally televised address from the capital, Ankara.

Syria excluded from humanity 

Due to the inhumane sanctions imposed on Syria, the country is being deprived of humanitarian aid. At a time that calls for unity, Western nations turned away from Syria.

In these defining moments and amid this humanitarian catastrophe, it was expected that all political rifts and rivalries would be brought aside for a short while at least, mainly because the destructive event has directly affected civilians.

Following the earthquakes, several Western countries mobilized rapidly to send aid and rescue workers to Turkey but decided to exclude Syria and neglect it, by only offering condolences and merely expressing readiness to support the affected Syrians, with nothing done on the ground, in a clear show of double standards.

Read more: Western selective humanitarianism, Syria earthquake falls on deaf ears

  • Syria
  • Turkey earthquake
  • Turkey
  • Syria earthquake
  • 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
dsad

Latest updates on Turkey, Syria earthquakes

Most Read

Indonesian president Joko Widodo during an interview in Jakarta in 2016 (Reuters)

Widodo urges Indonesia to abandon Visa, MasterCard to be 'independent'

  • Asia
  • 16 Mar
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen listens to opening remarks before testifying before the Senate Finance Committee about the President's proposed budget request for the fiscal year 2024, Thursday, March 16, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP)

US Debt ceiling ‘must be raised’ ahead of default: Treasury Secretary

  • US & Canada
  • 16 Mar
Rallies held in Washington DC to protest US militarism

Peace rallies held in Washington DC to protest US militarism

  • US & Canada
  • 18 Mar
Poland

Poland may end up 'joining' Ukraine war: Polish Ambassador to France

  • Europe
  • 20 Mar

Read this

All
US dollar may lose status as global reserve currency: Yellen
US & Canada

US dollar may lose status as global reserve currency: Yellen

  • 22 Mar
US military reports recruitment problem from Generation Z
US & Canada

US military reports recruitment problem from Gen Z

  • 22 Mar
.
US & Canada

Peace protesters hold up Senate hearing as Blinken delivers testimony

  • Today
US -Israeli relations in crisis: Axios
Politics

US-Israeli relations in crisis: Axios

  • 22 Mar
Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

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