More than 11,000 people have died as a result of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
Heart-rending images continue to emerge from Turkey and Syria as the death toll from the 7.8-magnitude earthquake on February 6 rises. On February 7, AFP's Adem Atlan photographed father Mesut Hancer who held the hands of his daughter Irmak, 15, after she died under the rubble in Kahramanmaras, near the earthquake's epicenter.
#Turkey - Mesut Hancer holds the hand of his 15-year-old daughter Irmak, who died in the earthquake in Kahramanmaras.
— AFP Photo (@AFPphoto) February 8, 2023
đź“· @AdemAltan3 #AFP pic.twitter.com/69ipyEOcJD
The girl's hand was stretched out from underneath the concrete slabs that collapsed on her during the fatal quake, as per PEOPLE. More than 11,000 people have died as a result of the earthquake, according to the Associated Press and Reuters.
He doesn’t want to let go of her Daughter’s hand 💔 pic.twitter.com/p2n1423oEN
— Nilofar Ayoubi (@NilofarAyoubi) February 7, 2023
The rescue teams in Turkey and Syria are looking for signs of life in the rubble. Teams from more than two dozen countries have joined hands with tens of thousands of local emergency personnel in the effort. But the scale of destruction from the quake and its aftermath is so immense and spread over such a wide area that many people are still awaiting help.
This is one of the most devastating videos I’ve seen come out of Turkey after the earthquake.
— Fatima (@fatimazsaid) February 8, 2023
Rescue workers shout: “can anyone hear our voice?”
The silence that follows is gut wrenching. pic.twitter.com/sWSbVigb75
Rescuers at times have also used excavators or picked gingerly through debris. It was not clear how many people might still be trapped.
Over 8,500 deaths have been reported in Turkey, and more than 2,500 deaths have been reported in Syria. Experts told the AP that the time to rescue victims alive is shrinking rapidly.
Peering out from under a large slab of concrete and brick, Abdulalim Muaini gestures weakly at his rescuers. It has been over two days since a massive earthquake brought his home in Hatay, Turkey, down upon him. Close beside him lies his dead wife Esra https://t.co/wLkcFbupjJ pic.twitter.com/r4qldWFNqc
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 9, 2023
"Statistically, today is the day when we're going to stop finding people," said David Alexander, a professor of emergency planning and management at University College London, per the report. "That doesn't mean we should stop searching."
On February 8, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan admitted the government was not entirely efficient in its initial response to the quake, per the reports. “It is not possible to be prepared for such a disaster,” Erdogan said, per AP.
The death toll from the earthquake in Turkey and Syria has now passed 11,200.
— AJ+ (@ajplus) February 8, 2023
The quake hit areas home to millions of refugees. In rebel-held Syria, rescuers say hundreds are trapped under each building — with just a few people to pull them out.
"People are dying every second." pic.twitter.com/xEgIjkQauQ
He further added, “We will not leave any of our citizens uncared for.” He also spoke about his critics that “dishonorable people” were spreading “lies and slander” about the government’s actions.
The President, who is up for re-election in May, added that the response has improved. He also promised the government would distribute 10,000 Turkish lira (or about $532) to families affected by the disaster.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of Turkey's main opposition party, has accused ErdoÄźan of not preparing the country for a disaster like this and of misspending funds.
Turkey is prone to earthquakes, though the one that struck on February 6, is believed to be the strongest in the country in about eight decades, according to NPR. This is the deadliest earthquake worldwide since 2015 when a 7.8-magnitude quake left 8,800 people dead in Nepal, the AP reported.
This is a developing story, and we’ll update you as we learn more. Information about the earthquake is swiftly changing, and WomenWorking is committed to providing the most recent and verified updates in our articles and reportage. However, considering the frequency of developments, some of the information/data in this article may have changed since the time of publication.
References:
https://apnews.com/article/science-turkey-syria-earthquakes-8fc4e52f5f261edce7b05d0b06601d3a
https://www.npr.org/2023/02/07/1154913148/turkey-earthquake-fault-lines-syria
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