Buildings collapsed in an earthquake in the city of Golbasi in Turkey's Adiyaman province, February 8, 2023.
Ankara – A devastating earthquake hit the border region of Turkey on Monday and Syria, claimed over 15,000 victims according to the latest balance sheet, AFP wrote. In Turkey alone, 12,391 people died as a result, the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD) said last night. Tens of thousands are injured, thousands of houses have collapsed and many more are at risk.
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Photo gallery: Earthquake in Turkey and Syria
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The DPA agency points out that the number of confirmed victims in Turkey increased by about 3,000 within a few hours. There are more than 62,000 injured in this country, and about 8,000 people have so far been rescued from the rubble. The earthquake affected more than 13 million people. On the Syrian side, according to the latest available data, there are 2,700 dead and over 4,600 injured.
In addition to Turkish rescuers, teams from dozens of countries around the world, including firefighters from the Czech Republic, are working in the affected areas. Under the rubble, they are searching for buried people, however, as time passes since the earthquake, the hope of saving the living diminishes. In Syria, aid is complicated by the complex domestic political and security situation. The disaster hit both government-held areas in Damascus and regions under the control of rebel groups. In northwest Syria, millions of people were already dependent on humanitarian aid before this disaster.
“The region, which has been plagued by crises for years, is facing another crisis with unimaginable losses and damages,” DPA quoted Corinne Fleischer, regional director of the World food program (WFP) for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe.
