Authorities Fear More Loss of Life as Teams Search for Survivors Amid Ruins of 7.8 Magnitude Earthquake
In the early hours of Tuesday, rescue teams in Turkey and Syria are searching for survivors of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit both countries. The cold weather conditions, with a low of -1ºC in Gaziantep, Turkey, add to the difficulties of the rescue efforts.
Over 3,600 deaths have been confirmed so far, with 2,300 reported in Turkey and 1,444 in Syria according to government and Reuters news agency reports. Authorities fear that more people may die before dawn, as there is a possibility of secondary tremors, and rescue teams are still searching for survivors among the tangled metal and concrete debris scattered in the region.
The number of destroyed buildings is staggering, with thousands of buildings collapsing in an area stretching from Aleppo and Hama in Syria to Diyarbakir in Turkey. In Turkey alone, over 5,600 buildings have been destroyed according to the country’s authorities. Hospitals were also affected, with an entire health unit collapsing in the city of Iskenderun.
With G1 and international agencyes