Turkey Syria earthquake deaths top 46,000 – Almost 46,000 people have died as a result of the tremendous earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria 11 days ago. In Turkey, there has been an increase in intestinal and upper respiratory infections, but authorities say the numbers do not constitute a severe threat to public health.
More than 46,000 people have been dead as a result of the earthquake that slammed Turkey and Syria 12 days ago, and the death toll is anticipated to rise further, with over three lakh apartments in Turkey now confirmed to have been damaged and more still missing. Turkey is likely to call an end to search and rescue operations because 296 hours have gone since the fatal earthquake and the odds of discovering more survivors are remote.
In the early hours of February 6, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Turkey’s southern Kahramanmaras region, followed by over 40 aftershocks that buried people beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings in Turkey and neighboring Syria.
While rescue efforts continue, fears about the spread of diseases in earthquake-ravaged communities mount.
According to Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca, despite an increase in intestinal and upper respiratory infections, the statistics do not constitute a severe threat to public health.
Here are the most recent happenings.
On Saturday, rescue personnel from Kyrgyzstan attempted to pull a Syrian family of five from the rubble of a building in Antakya, southern Turkey. Three individuals were rescued alive, including a youngster. The mother and father survived, but the child died later from dehydration, according to Reuters.
Yunus Sezer, the chairman of Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), has stated that search and rescue activities will be mainly suspended on Sunday night as hope of finding survivors fades.
Turkey’s death toll from the earthquake stands at 40,402, while neighbouring Syria has claimed more than 5,800 deaths, a figure that has not moved in several days.
Turkey has committed to examine anyone suspected of being responsible for building collapses and has ordered the imprisonment of over 100 people, including developers.
Thousands of new burials outnumbered those that preceding the earthquake in Kahramanmaras, the southern Turkish city closest to the epicentre of the deadly quake, highlighting the magnitude of the disaster. Buildings that have been flattened are being demolished in Kahramanmaras and adjacent regions.
