One of the strongest earthquakes to hit the region in a century shook residents from their beds at around 4 a.m. on Monday, sending tremors as far away as Lebanon and Occupied Lands.
The epicenter of the 7.8-magnitude quake was 23 kilometers (14.2 miles) east of Nurdagi, in Turkey’s Gaziantep province, at a depth of 24.1 kilometers (14.9 miles), the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.
A series of aftershocks have reverberated throughout the day. The largest, a major quake that measured 7.5 in magnitude, hit Turkey about nine hours after the initial quake, according to the USGS. That aftershock hit around 95 kilometers (59 miles) north of the original.
Video from the scene in Turkey showed day breaking over rows of collapsed buildings, some with apartments exposed to the elements as people huddled in the freezing cold beside them, waiting for help.
Followings are the latest updates on the quake in Turkey and Syria:
Death toll rises to over 7,000 in Turkey, Syria
The death toll from the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria is now at least 7,266.
Syria’s total death toll rose to at least 1,832.
Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said in a news conference on Tuesday that the death toll in Turkey is now 5,434.
Turkey's earthquake death toll rises to 5,431, another 31,777 people injured: Authorities
Turkey's earthquake death toll increased to 5,434, another 31,777 people were injured, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said.
Earthquake death toll passes 6,000
The death toll from Monday’s quake has climbed to 4,544 in Turkey, according to the country’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
The number of those killed in Syria is close to 1,832.
Death toll rises to 5,415 in Turkey, Syria
Monday’s massive earthquake and powerful aftershocks have killed at least 3,703 people in southeastern Turkey, according to the latest figures from the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority.
Meanwhile, at least 1,712 were killed in Syria, according to combined figures from the Syrian Ministry of Health and rescue group.
Turkey death toll increases to 3,703: Authorities
Turkey's earthquake death toll increased to 3,703 and the number of injured to 22,286, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said on Tuesday.
150,000 people left homeless in Turkey
At least 150,000 people in Turkey have been left homeless due to Monday’s deadly earthquake and aftershocks, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Turkey death toll rises to more than 3,500, Erdogan says
The death toll in Turkey from the earthquake on Monday has risen to at least 3,549, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in his speech from the earthquake coordination center in the capital city of Ankara.
There are at least 22,168 injured in the country, he added.
Thousands of homes destroyed in quake, UNICEF says
Thousands of homes have been destroyed in areas affected by an earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said at a press briefing in Geneva Tuesday.
“Thousands of homes have been destroyed, displacing families and exposing them to the elements at a time of year when temperatures regularly drop below freezing and snow and freezing rain are common,” Elder said. “Scores of schools, hospitals and other medical and educational facilities have been damaged or destroyed by the quakes.”
“This is the most powerful earthquake to hit the region in almost 100 years and came at the worst possible time for vulnerable children and families in the affected areas,” he added.
Iran offers condolences, support
In a telephone conversation with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad, Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi said that Iran will do whatever is necessary to reduce the consequences of the earthquake in Syria.
Iranian President also called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to express his sympathy on the death of thousands of people and wished recovery for the injured, Turkey’s Communications Directorate said in a statement.
Erdogan declares state of emergency for 3 months in 10 provinces affected by earthquake
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared a three-month state of emergency in 10 cities in the country after Monday’s devastating earthquakes and aftershocks.
He added that the death toll in Turkey had risen to 3,549, adding that the 10 cities would be declared as part of an earthquake disaster zone.
Quake death toll surpasses 5,000 in Turkey and Syria
At least 5,034 deaths have now been confirmed in Turkey and Syria after a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake rocked the region early on Monday.
Turkey's death toll rose to at least 3,432, Turkey's Disaster Coordination Center (AKOM) said Tuesday.
The deaths were reported in the provinces of Kahramanmaraş, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Diyarbakır, Adana, Adıyaman, Osmaniye, Hatay, Kilis and Malatya, AKOM said.
At least 21,103 people have been reported injured, AKOM added. Almost 26,000 search and rescue personnel have been involved in operations, along with 360 vehicles and 3,361 pieces of equipment, including more than 600 cranes, it said.
Additionally, 2,769 personnel from 65 countries have been deployed to the disaster area, according to AKOM.
In Syria, the death toll has risen to 1,602, officials said.
At least 3,649 people have been reported injured across the country, according to officials.
Death toll from earthquake in Turkey rises to 3,432
The death toll from the devastating earthquakes in Turkey has reached 3,432, while another 21,103 people have been injured, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said on Tuesday.
"As of 12:10 [local time, 03:10 GMT], the earthquakes killed 3,432 people and injured 21,103 people," the AFAD said in a statement.
Earthquake could affect up to 23 million, WHO says
Some 23 million people could be affected by the massive earthquake that has killed more than 5,000 so far, the World Health Organization has said.
“Event overview maps show that potentially 23 million people are exposed, including around five million vulnerable populations,” the WHO’s senior emergencies officer Adelheid Marschang said.
“Civilian infrastructure and potentially health infrastructure have been damaged across the affected region, mainly in Turkey and northwest Syria,” Marschang added.
The WHO “considers that the main unmet needs may be in Syria in the immediate and mid-term,” Marschang told the WHO’s executive committee in Geneva.
Syrian Red Cross urges West to lift sanctions against Damascus
The Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) urges the West to lift unilateral sanctions against Damascus to facilitate the process of eliminating the consequences of the earthquake, SARC President Khaled Hbubati.
"We call for lifting the blockade and economic sanctions imposed against Syria to eliminate the consequences of the devastating earthquake... we need heavy equipment, ambulances and fire crews to speed up search and rescue operations. To do this, it is necessary to lift sanctions from Syria as soon as possible," Hbubati said during a press conference.
Death toll in Turkey rises to 3,419: Vice President
The death toll in Monday's disastrous earthquake in Turkey has increased to 3,419, another 20,534 had been injured, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said.
"The number of victims has increased to 3,419 people, another 20,534 were injured," Oktay told a briefing.
The official added that weather conditions pose problems for the delivery of aid to the regions.
"Rescue teams of 12,181 people are working on the ground," Oktay said.
According to the vice president, Turkey has received assistance from 14 countries in connection with the earthquake at the moment.
Quake death toll rises to nearly 4,900 in Turkey and Syria
At least 4,890 deaths have now been confirmed in Turkey and Syria after a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake rocked the region early on Monday.
Turkey's death toll rose to at least 3,381 as of around 9:45 a.m. local time on Tuesday, Orhan Tatar, an official with the country's disaster management agency, said in a televised briefing.
At least 20,426 injuries have also been reported, according to Tatar.
So far, 11,000 buildings have been reported damaged in Turkey, he said. Nearly 25,000 emergency responders are working at scenes impacted, he added.
Rescuers are using at least 10 ships and 54 aircraft to transport the wounded and help with search operations, he said.
In Syria, the death toll has risen to 1,509, officials said.
At least 3,548 people have also been reported injured in Syria, according to officials.
Death toll rises to 3,381 in Turkey: Ankara
The death toll as a result of a powerful earthquake in Turkey has grown to 3,381, while 20,436 people have been injured, Orhan Tatar, the director of the earthquake and risk reduction of the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), said on Tuesday."At the moment, we have 3,381 victims, 20,436 injured," Tatar told reporters.
A total of 5,575 buildings have been destroyed as a result of the earthquake, the official added.
100 aftershocks recorded in Turkey so far: USGS
At least 100 aftershocks measuring 4.0 or greater have occurred since the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey on Monday morning local time, according to the United States Geological Survey.
As the time from the original earthquake extends, the frequency and magnitude of the aftershocks tend to decrease. However, 5.0 to 6.0-plus aftershocks are still likely to occur and bring a risk of additional damage to structures that are compromised from the original earthquake. This brings a continued threat to rescue teams and survivors.
The aftershocks stretch for more than 300 kilometers (186 miles) along the fault zone that ruptured in southern Turkey, oriented from southwest to northeast and stretching from the border with Syria up through the province of Malatya.
Death toll climbs to 4,372 after earthquake rocks Turkey and Syria
At least 4,372 deaths have been confirmed after a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake rocked Turkey and Syria early Monday.
Turkey's toll rose to 2,921 as of Tuesday morning, according to Yunus Sezer, Turkey’s head of disaster services.
A total of 15,834 injuries have been reported, Sezer said in a news conference in Ankara.
Sezer said he would provide a more comprehensive update at 6 a.m. local time (10 p.m. ET).
In Syria, 1,451 deaths and 3,531 injuries have been reported by officials.
Turkey urges people to "leave roads open" for search and rescue teams
Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD) is urging people to stay off the roads to help search and rescue efforts following the earthquake.
"Please leave the roads open and do not go into traffic unless necessary so the search and rescue teams and the emergency vehicles that are directed to the earthquake zones can carry out their work," the agency tweeted Monday.
Turkey's death toll rises to 2,921
Turkey’s relief agency says the death toll from Monday’s earthquakes has climbed to 2,921.
Yunus Sezer, who heads the AFAD agency, said an additional 15,384 people were injured, while 6,217 buildings have collapsed.
The two quakes were followed by 243 aftershocks, he said, adding that 16,400 rescue workers were active in the affected areas.
Iran to stand by Turkey in difficult situation: Amir-Abdollahian
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in a phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, on Monday night announced the readiness of the Iranian Red Crescent Society to fully cooperate with Turkey.
He said rescue and medical teams from the Iranian Red Crescent Society had been dispatched to Turkey late on Monday to provide assistance to the people in quake-hit regions.
“We stand by the Turkish nation and government in this difficult situation,” the Iranian foreign minister said.
Cavusoglu, for his part, thanked Iran’s sympathy and support for the Turkish people and appreciated Iran’s readiness to offer aid to the people in quake-hit areas.
Syria earthquakes death toll increases to 1,451
At least 1,451 people have been killed across Syria following Monday’s earthquakes, the government and rescuers said.
According to the Syrian state news agency SANA, 711 people have died in the regions of Aleppo, Hama, Latakia, and Tartus.
In the country’s northwest, at least 740 people were killed, according to the rescue group.
Multiple ancient, Medieval castles, mosques damaged by earthquake
In Turkey, the Gaziantep castle, about 20.7 miles (33.3 kilometers) from the earthquake’s epicenter, suffered significant damage.
“Some of the bastions in the east, south and southeast parts of the historical Gaziantep Castle in the central Şahinbey district were destroyed by the earthquake, the debris was scattered on the road. The iron railings around the castle were scattered on the surrounding sidewalks. The retaining wall next to the castle also collapsed. In some bastions, large cracks were observed,” reported Turkish state media Anadolu.
The nearby Şirvani Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in Gaziantep, suffered significant damage as well. According to Anadolu, its eastern wall and dome have also partially collapsed.
According to Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay, roughly 1,700 buildings were damaged across 10 Turkish cities.
Meanwhile, in the ancient Syrian city of Aleppo, an even older fortification was damaged. The citadel, designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO, was already damaged by years of fighting in the city during the last decade. During the earthquake, the dome that sits on top of a minaret inside the Citadel’s mosque collapsed. There is also a large crack running along the tower and the entrance to the Citadel also suffered damage.
Also in Syria, the Al-Marqab Castle, which sits south of the city of Baniyas was reportedly damaged in the earthquake.
Syria receives 1st batch of Iran humanitarian aid
The first airplane carrying humanitarian aid from the Islamic Republic of Iran has arrived in Syria for the quake-ravaged regions, the head of the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority said.
Basem Mansour added that the relief aid consists of 45 tons of pharmaceutical, food, and health assistance.
He further noted that five airplanes carrying humanitarian aid from Iran, Russia, and the UAE are slated to land at Damascus and Latakia airports tomorrow.
Iran FM calls Syrian counterpart to sympathize over quake
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made a phone call to his Syrian counterpart to sympathize with Syrians over the deadly earthquake and offer to provide humanitarian aid to the victims.
Amir-Abdollahian voiced Iran's readiness to provide humanitarian aid to Syria.
Faisal Mekdad expressed his appreciation to Iran's President and foreign minister for sympathizing with his country and considered Iran and Syria as two friendly and brotherly nations that are always beside each other in both times of happiness and difficult times.
Turkey's death toll rises to 2,379
The death toll in Monday's earthquake in Turkey has risen to 2,379, and more than 14,483 were injured, the country's Vice President Fuat Oktay said.
"According to the latest data, 2,379 people died and 14,483 people were injured in the earthquakes," Oktay told reporters. He said 7,840 people had been rescued from under the debris.
To know more about the Turkey-Syria earthquake, click here.
MNA/