Syria earthquake: death toll exceeds 4500

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
13 Feb 2023 21:03
1 Shares

A week after the devastating earthquake that hit Syria and Turkey, the number of deaths and the outcome of material damage is still not final.

Collapsed buildings are seen through the windows of a damaged house following a devastating earthquake in the town of Jinderis, Aleppo province, Syria, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023 (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)

The Syrian authorities warned of damaged buildings that could be unstable and prone to collapse in the aftermath of the Syria earthquake whose death toll, so far, rests at 4,500 individuals. Despite the expectations that this number will rise in the coming days as hope for finding survivors underneath the rubble diminished, some people were found, alive, today, after having survived 184 hours beneath the rubble.

Correspondents in Syria

Al-Mayadeen's correspondent to the al-Amriya neighborhood in Aleppo pointed out that it is anticipated that the local authorities will likely move "to demolish more than 50 buildings that are unstable in the neighborhood."

#AlMayadeen correspondent to Aleppo, Reda Albasha, reported that the number of buildings collapsing at the moment in #Aleppo has exceeded the number of buildings that collapsed right after the earthquake. #Syria #SyriaEarthquake @rh_albasha https://t.co/035BvQTZ20
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) February 13, 2023

For his part, Al Mayadeen correspondent to Lattakia confirmed, "The needs of those affected by the earthquake include everything, especially given that they left their homes with only their clothes on."

This #Syrian man lost three of his children in a blink of an eye, as well as what they used to call home, in the #Latakia countryside.
Ibrahim Outhman details to #AlMayadeen how the powerful #earthquake shattered his family. #Syria pic.twitter.com/n1VwCrojRr
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) February 13, 2023

As for Hama, Al Mayadeen's correspondent there indicated that the Syrian authorities are working to keep citizens away from buildings prone to collapse for fear of them falling and causing further damage, pointing to "appeals for more aid for those affected by the earthquake."

For his part, the deputy governor of Hama, Ali Abdel Salam, confirmed to Al Mayadeen that "so far, the death toll in the province has reached 48."

Abdel Salam said, "More than 4,000 homes in Hama were damaged due to the earthquake, and their condition is currently being assessed."

Al Mayadeen correspondent in the region also noted that a delegation of Syrian artists, headed by union leader Mohsen Ghazi, visited one of the shelters for the earthquake victims in the governorate.

Head of Syrian Artists' Union, Mohsen Ghazi, to #AlMayadeen: "We thank everyone who provided assistance to those affected by the earthquake in #Syria. We have launched a donation campaign to help earthquake victims in Syria."#SyriaEarthquake https://t.co/rmvFzNsxma
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) February 13, 2023

Ghazi thanked everyone who "contributed to providing assistance to the victims of the earthquake in Syria," and added that the union launched a donation campaign to help those affected by the earthquake throughout Syria.

Popular Mobilization Forces

The correspondent of Al Mayadeen to Aleppo stated that the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces continue to send aid trucks to Aleppo, under the supervision of the Chief of Staff of the Mobilization Forces, Abdul Aziz Al-Muhammadawi.

The correspondent further added that "200 aid trucks for the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) arrived in the city of Aleppo, and 200 others are awaiting arrival today," and noted that in parallel to that, "engineering teams are demolishing one of the buildings damaged by the earthquake in the city of Aleppo."

كيف أثرت العقوبات والحصار المفروض على #سوريا في مسار عمليات الإنقاذ ونتائجها؟#زلزال_سوريا_تركيا #زلزال_سوريا #زلزال_شرق_المتوسط #سوريا_وتركيا_إرادة_حياة pic.twitter.com/k5DzsX8fdm
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) February 13, 2023

In turn, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Popular Mobilization Forces, from the Al-Amriya neighborhood in Aleppo, through Al Mayadeen, called on the Iraqis to donate construction materials and fuel to the Syrians.

في أي سياق تأتي محاولات "شيطنة" المساعدات التي تصل من أصدقاء #سوريا إلى المتضررين من #زلزال_سوريا_تركيا؟ #الميادين #زلزال_سوريا #زلزال_شرق_المتوسط #سوريا_وتركيا_إرادة_حياة @rh_albasha pic.twitter.com/xOjlHypZu5
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) February 13, 2023

The follow-up director of the PMF explained that "the engineering effort in Aleppo is harnessed to lift all rubble, including those left behind as ruins of war."

The official also stated that the PMF "will develop an action plan for coordination with local governments."