Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Feb 9: The death toll from disturbing earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria earlier this week now stands at 16,035, CNN reported citing the authorities. At least 12,873 people have died in Turkey, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD).
In contrast, in Syria, the total number of fatalities is at least 3,162, including 1,900 in rebel-held areas in the northwest, according to the ‘White Helmets’ civil defence group. Experts fear the number is still expected to rise.
Notably, this is the most disastrous earthquake in a decade.
Freezing temperatures deepened the misery for survivors as rescuers raced to save countless people still trapped under rubble. Survivors have been left to scramble for food and shelter and in some cases watch helplessly as their relatives called for rescue, and eventually went silent under the debris.
Currently just one border crossing, in Turkey’s southern Hatay province, is open for life-saving aid to rebel-held regions of Syria under the authorisation of the United Nations Security Council. As per reports, Turkey might open two more border crossings with Syria.
“There is damage to some roads on the Syrian side of the border. There has been some difficulty for our and international aid to get through because of the destruction,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters late Wednesday.
