The most powerful earthquake in nearly a century struck Turkey and Syria Monday, killing more than 7,300 people in their sleep, levelling buildings and causing tremors felt as far away as Greenland. The 7.8-magnitude early morning quake, followed hours later by a slightly smaller one, wiped out entire sections of major Turkish cities in a region filled with millions who have fled the civil war in Syria and other conflicts. Rescuers used heavy equipment and their bare hands to peel back rubble in search of survivors, who they could in some cases hear begging for help under the rubble. The initial quake was followed by more than 50 aftershocks, including a 7.5-magnitude tremor that jolted the region in the middle of search and rescue work on Monday afternoon.
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Earthquake death toll tops 7,300 as rescuers battle cold
Rescuers in Turkey and Syria battled bitter cold Tuesday in a race against time to find survivors under buildings flattened by an earthquake that killed more than 7,300 people.
Tremors that inflicted more suffering on a border area, already plagued by conflict, left people on the streets burning debris to try to stay warm as international aid began to arrive.
USAID search and rescue teams set to arrive in Turkey
Two U.S. Agency for International Development teams will arrive Wednesday morning in Turkey and will head to the southeastern province of Adiyaman to focus on urban search and rescue following earthquakes that killed more than 6,300 people and left a trail of destruction in Turkey and neighboring Syria.
USAID's Disaster Assistance Response Team Leader for the earthquake response, Stephen Allen, told reporters on Tuesday the teams will be about 80 people each and also bring 12 dogs and 170,000 pounds of specialized tools and equipment, including for triage and concrete breaking.
Quake toll tops 6,200 as rescuers battle cold
Rescuers in Turkey and Syria battled frigid cold Tuesday in a race against time to find survivors under buildings flattened by a earthquake that killed more than 6,200 people.
Families beg for help to find loved ones in snow-covered earthquake debris
Desperate and cold from the snow lying thick on the ground, relatives of earthquake victims in the Turkish city of Malatya expressed their frustration on Tuesday at what they said was the lack of help as they searched for missing loved ones.
With no specialist equipment or even gloves or winter clothing, they tried to pick through the wreckage of homes crumpled by the force of the earthquake that struck Turkey on Monday, killing thousands of people.
"There is not even a single person here. We are under the snow, without a home, without anything," said Murat Alinak, whose home has collapsed and whose relatives are missing. "What shall I do, where can I go?" Sabiha Alinak said the townspeople, huddling around bonfires to keep warm, should take the rescue operation into their own hands.
"My in-laws' grandchildren are there. We have been here for two days. We are devastated," she said.
"Where is the state? Where have they been for two days? We are begging them. Let us do it, we can rescue them. We can do it with our means. If they (the state emergency teams) don't come, for God's sake let us do it." Turkish authorities say some 13.5 million people have been affected in an area spanning roughly 450 km (280 miles) from Adana in the west to Diyarbakir in the east, and 300 km from Malatya in the north to Hatay in the south.
Bleak winter weather and damaged roads between some of the worst-hit cities, home to millions of people, were hindering efforts to assess the impact and plan help after the deadliest earthquake in Turkey since 1999.
At least 1,712 killed in Syria so far
At least 1,712 people were killed and thousands injured in Syria following a number of deadly earthquakes and aftershocks in neighbouring Turkey, authorities and rescuers said on Tuesday.
State news agency SANA said at least 812 people were killed and 1,449 people injured in the government-held provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Idlib and Tartous.
At least 900 people were killed in Syria's opposition-held northwest and 2,300 injured with the toll expected to "rise dramatically," the White Helmets rescue team said.
A magnitude 7.8 quake hit Turkey and neighbouring Syria early on Monday, toppling thousands of buildings including many apartment blocks, wrecking hospitals, and leaving thousands of people injured or homeless.
Erdogan declares state of emergency
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared Tuesday a three-month state of emergency in 10 southeastern provinces hit by a major earthquake that has claimed thousands of lives.
"We have decided to declare a state of emergency to ensure that our (rescue and recovery) work can be carried out quickly," Erdogan said in televised remarks.
UNESCO sounds alarm over quake damage to Turkey, Syria heritage
The UN's cultural agency UNESCO said on Tuesday it was ready to provide assistance after two sites listed on its World Heritage list in Syria and Turkey sustained damage in the devastating earthquake.
As well as the damage to the old city of Syria's Aleppo and the fortress in the southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir, UNESCO said at least three other World Heritage sites could be affected.
A statement from UNESCO said it and partners had already carried out an initial survey of the damage of the quake which struck before dawn on Monday.
It said it was "particularly concerned" about the old city of Aleppo, which has been on its list of World Heritage in Danger since 2013 due to the Syrian civil war.
In Turkey, UNESCO said it was saddened by the "collapse of several buildings" at the World Heritage site of the Diyarbakir Fortress and the adjacent Hevsel Gardens.
It emphasised that the entire area was an important centre of the Roman, Sassanid, Byzantine, Islamic and Ottoman periods.
With weather conditions and the remote nature of the areas making access and information hard to come by, UNESCO said other sites on the World Heritage list not far from the epicentre could be affected.
"UNESCO is mobilising its experts, to establish a precise inventory of the damage with the aim of rapidly securing and stabilising these sites," it said.
At least 1,602 killed in Syria so far
At least 1,602 people were killed and thousands injured in Syria following a number of deadly earthquakes and aftershocks in neighbouring Turkey, authorities and rescuers said on Tuesday.
State news agency SANA said at least 812 people were killed and 1,449 people injured in the government-held provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Idlib and Tartous.
At least 790 people were killed in Syria's opposition-held northwest and 2,200 injured with the toll expected to "rise dramatically," the White Helmets rescue team said.
23 million people could be affected by quake: WHO
Up to 23 million people could be affected by the massive earthquake that has killed thousands in Turkey and Syria, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday.
"Event overview maps show that potentially 23 million people are exposed, including around five million vulnerable populations," WHO senior emergencies officer Adelheid Marschang told the UN health agency's executive committee.
Quake deaths pass 5,000 as Turkey, Syria seek survivors
The death toll from a 7.8 magnitude earthquake and multiple aftershocks rose to more than 5,000 on Tuesday as more bodies were pulled from the rubble of collapsed buildings.
Turkey’s Vice President Fuat Oktay said the total number of deaths in Turkey had risen to 3,419, with another 20,534 people injured. That brought the number of people killed to 5,102, with another 1,602 people confirmed dead on the Syrian side of the border.
The earthquake struck early Monday morning, bringing down thousands of buildings. Rescuers were racing frantically to find more survivors but their efforts were being impeded by temperatures below freezing and some 200 aftershocks, which made the search through unstable structures perilous.
Earthquake of magnitude 5.7 strikes eastern Turkey region
An earthquake of magnitude 5.7 struck eastern Turkey on Tuesday, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said.
The quake was at a depth of 46 km (28.58 miles), the centre added.
Death toll nears 5,000
The death toll due to the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria has increased to 4,890 as of Tuesday, while search and rescue operations are continuing to find more survivors amid harsh weather conditions in the two neighbouring nations, according to media reports.
Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) announced that the country's overall toll currently stood at 3,381, while the number of injured persons increased to 20,426, reports the BBC.
Death toll rises to 812 in Syrian government-held areas
At least 812 people were killed in government-held areas in Syria following two deadly earthquakes and a series of aftershocks in neighbouring Turkey, state news agency SANA said on Tuesday.
SANA said at least 1,449 people were injured in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Idlib and Tartous.
Hundreds of families still under quake rubble
Time is running out to save hundreds of families still trapped under the rubble of destroyed buildings after this week's devastating earthquake, the head of the Syrian opposition-run civil defence service said on Tuesday.
Raed Al Saleh said that urgent help was needed from international groups for the rescue effort by the organisation known as the White Helmets in rebel-held northwest Syria, where hundreds were killed and injured.
Freezing weather hampers rescue efforts
Rescue teams worked early on Tuesday to release people trapped in the rubble of buildings in southern Turkey as the death toll in the country from a devastating earthquake a day earlier rose to nearly 3,000.
The magnitude 7.8 quake rippled through both countries early on Monday, toppling entire apartment blocks, wrecking hospitals, and leaving thousands more people injured or homeless.
Nearly 8,000 people have been rescued from 4,758 buildings destroyed in the tremors a day earlier, Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said in its latest statement.
AFAD head Yunus Sezer said that 2,921 people had died in Turkey as aftershocks continued to shake the region. Another earthquake of 5.6 magnitude struck central Turkey on Tuesday, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said.
Freezing winter weather hampered search efforts for survivors through the night. A woman's voice was heard calling for help under a pile of rubble in the southern province of Hatay. Nearby, the body of a small child lay lifeless.
Earthquake strikes central Turkey
A 5.5 magnitude earthquake hit Turkey's Golbasi town located in the Central Anatolia region of Ankara Province, reported the United States Geological Survey.
"M 5.5 - 9 km ESE of Golbasi, Turkey at 8:43 am. Location:37.765°N 37.743°E and Depth:10.0 km," reported USGS.
Rescue teams from across the world depart for Turkey-Syria
An Indian team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel along with a specially trained dog squad and necessary equipment departed from Hindon Airbase in Ghaziabad to carry out search and rescue operations in Turkey. India sent the NDRF team to Turkey after earthquakes jolted Turkey and Syria on Monday.
Speaking to ANI, Deepak Talwar, Deputy Commandant, NDRF, who is leading the first NDRF team from India to Turkey, said, "This team is consisting of 47 NDRF personnel and three senior officers to perform recovery and response work as per the United Nations guidelines."
The European Union has mobilized search and rescue teams to help Turkey, while the 27-nation bloc's Copernicus satellite system has been activated to provide emergency mapping services. At least 13 member countries have offered assistance. The EU said it’s also ready to offer help to Syria through its humanitarian assistance programs.
The United States is coordinating immediate assistance to NATO-member Turkey, including teams to support search and rescue efforts. U.S.-supported humanitarian partners are also responding to the destruction in Syria. In California, nearly 100 Los Angeles County firefighters and structural engineers, along with a half-dozen specially trained dogs, were being sent to Turkey to help with rescue efforts.
Russian rescue teams from the Emergencies Ministry are preparing to fly to Syria, where Russian military deployed in that country already has sent 10 units comprising 300 people to help clear debris and search for survivors. The Russian military has set up points to distribute humanitarian assistance. Russia also has offered help to Turkey, which has been accepted.
Turkey updates earthquake toll to 2,379 dead
Turkish Vice President Fuat Otkay said 2,379 people were killed and 14,483 injured in a devastating earthquake that hit the country on Monday, updating an earlier toll.
A total of 7,840 people were pulled alive from rubble after 4,748 buildings were destroyed, Otkay added.
