Death Toll from Earthquake in Turkey and Syria Updated

According to the latest data, the death toll from a series of powerful earthquakes in Turkey and Syria has exceeded 41,000. Despite the fact that more than a week has passed since the first strong tremors, rescuers are still managing to pull survivors from the rubble. Turkish and Syrian hospitals are overwhelmed. According to Turkish authorities, about 80,000 people are in hospitals, placing great pressure on a healthcare system that has also been affected by the disaster, reports Euronews.

Against the backdrop of ongoing search-and-rescue and debris clearance operations, the affected countries are facing another serious challenge: where to house millions of people who have become homeless. President Erdogan has promised to build homes for those affected in the 10 impacted provinces within a year.

The World Health Organization has called for $43 million in aid for those affected by the earthquake, said Hans Kluge, the WHO Regional Director for Europe. “The UN has announced an emergency fundraising for the victims in Syria. Today, I am announcing a UN humanitarian appeal worth $397 million for the people affected by the earthquake in Syria. This will last for three months,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. He noted that a similar appeal for Turkey will soon be announced. He mentioned that the UN has already allocated $50 million to the earthquake-affected through the Central Emergency Response Fund.

The first UN delegation visited areas controlled by rebels in northwestern Syria on Tuesday. Experts entered through the Bab al-Hawa crossing and are set to assess the extent of the damage. On the same day, a UN humanitarian shipment reached the region through the Bab al-Salam crossing, which the Syrian authorities had previously announced would be opened.