Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Feb 12: The death toll from two massive earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria climbed above 29,000. Rescue workers are still searching through the rubble for survivors.
According to state media, Turkey detained 48 people for looting, and two enormous military ships were sent to the country’s south to act as floating hospitals for the injured.
The number will double or more, UN relief chief Martin Griffiths told Sky News. Arriving in Turkey’s southern city of Kahramanmaras, Martin Griffiths said, “I think it is difficult to estimate precisely as we need to get under the rubble but I’m sure it will double or more.”
“We haven’t really begun to count the number of dead,” he said.
“Soon, the search and rescue people will make way for the humanitarian agencies whose job it is to look after the extraordinary numbers of those affected for the next months,” he added.
Tens of thousands of rescuers are still scouring the ruins for survivors.
According to AFP, the UN had earlier issued a warning that up to 5.3 million people may have become homeless in Syria alone, and that at least 870,000 people in Turkey and Syria urgently require hot meals due to the cold weather.
The World Health Organization (WHO), which reported that the earthquake touched approximately 26 million people, has launched an urgent request for $42.8 million to address the two countries’ emergency medical needs.
According to Turkey’s disaster agency, 8,294 overseas rescuers are assisting the search-and-rescue operation in addition to nearly 32,000 people from Turkish organisations.
