Officials update the death toll as rescue efforts continue. Turkey’s president has declared a week of national mourning.
Here’s what to know about the deadly earthquake that caused devastation in Turkey and Syria
From CNN staff
More than 3,800 people have died and thousands more were injured after a massive earthquake rocked Turkey and Syria on Monday morning.
The magnitude 7.8 quake was one of the strongest to strike the area in more than a century. Amid severe aftershocks, Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD) called for international help.
Here’s what to know:
- The latest: At least 3,830 people have been killed and more than 15,000 injured in Turkey and Syria, according to officials. Following the initial quake, the US Geological Survey recorded at least 77 aftershocks, including a major one at 7.5 magnitude. Three of the aftershocks have measured 6.0 or greater.
- Damage: At least 5,606 buildings collapsed in Turkey during and after the quake, according to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Agency. There are reports of similar devastation in northern Syria. UN’s Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria, El-Mostafa Benlamlih, told CNN many buildings collapsed – and more could still fall.
- First-hand accounts: Eyewitnesses described “terrifying” conditions in northwest Syria. The quake left “entire families dead” and “survivors sleeping on the streets in the freezing cold,” they said. CNN journalist Eyad Kourdi, who was in Turkey, described the power of the earthquake as “biblical,” saying, “The force felt like somebody trying to knock me over.”
- Challenges in Syria: More than 4 million people rely on humanitarian assistance in the region where the quake struck, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The majority are women and children. Along with the devastation from the earthquake, Syrian communities are battling an ongoing cholera outbreak amid a harsh winter with heavy rain and snow over the weekend, Search and rescue efforts have been hampered by a “lack of heavy equipment and machinery to clear the rubble,” according to the UN’s Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria, El-Mostafa Benlamlih.
- International support: The European Union activated its crisis response mechanism in order to provide faster support to Turkey and Syria. The United States will send two search and rescue units to Turkey, ambassador Jeff Flake said. Palestinian civil defense and medical teams will be sent to Turkey and Syria to help in rescue operations, Palestinian Authority’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh said. Iraq has also said it will send aid to earthquake victims, according to the country’s prime minister.
- Russian assistance: Ten units of the Russian army with a total of more than 300 soldiers are involved in clearing debris and helping in search and rescue operations in Syria. Russia is the strongest foreign power operating in Syria, and Putin has long allied himself with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, throwing the full weight of the Russian military behind the Syrian Army.
- Archeological sites damaged: Several archeological sites in Syria were damaged by the quake, experts said. In Turkey, the tremor badly damaged Gaziantep Castle, a historic site and tourist attraction in southeastern Turkey.
- How you can help: The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) says it is “launching immediate cash assistance” from its Disaster Response Emergency Fund to help relief efforts in both Turkey and Syria. CNN’s Impact Your World has gathered ways to help victims. You can read about that here.
Death toll climbs to 3,830 after earthquake rocks Turkey and Syria
From CNN’s Isil Sariyuce and Mitchell McCluskey
At least 3,830 deaths have been confirmed after a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake rocked Turkey and Syria early Monday.
The total death toll in Turkey has climbed to 2,379, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said.
In Syria, 711 deaths were reported in government-controlled areas, according to state news agency SANA.
The Syrian Civil Defense, known as the “White Helmets,” reported there were 740 deaths in areas controlled by the opposition.
The total number of injured climbed to 3,531 across Syria and 14,483 in Turkey.
2 US search and rescue units heading to Turkey, ambassador says
From CNN’s Kylie Atwood
Two search and rescue units from the United States will be sent to Turkey to assist with the aftermath of the earthquake, US Ambassador to Turkey Jeff Flake told CNN on Monday.
“There will be two teams from the US. One from Fairfax County and another from Los Angeles — what they call these heavy units, each with I think 70 personnel with search dogs as well as paramedics,” Flake said. “That’s what we are told is needed.”
Flake said that Turkey is going to need help with destroyed structures, saying that the last he knew was that 28 buildings were either down or partially damaged.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken also spoke with his counterpart on Monday, the State Department said.
“Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister [Mevlüt] Çavuşoğlu discussed ways the United States and our partners could best assist. Secretary Blinken confirmed our initial assistance response was already underway and pledged to do all that we can in coordination with Türkiye to assist the victims of the earthquake in both Türkiye and Syria,” State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said.
In terms of getting support into Syria, Flake noted there are a number of humanitarian and church groups the US has worked in the country. He said it makes it “doubly difficult” that there is no functioning government in Syria.
Flake suggested that Americans direct donations through the Red Cross, non-profits and church groups if they want to help.
Photos: As darkness falls those displaced by earthquake seek shelter
From CNN Digital’s Photo Team
As the death toll rises and rescue workers continue to search for survivors, thousands more seek shelter after their homes were destroyed or damaged too badly to be safe. Here are some of the images we’ve seen as darkness falls across the region.
Syrians “urgently” need assistance, UN envoy says
From CNN’s Sahar Akbarzai and Mia Alberti
Syrians urgently need assistance after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit part of the country and Turkey early Monday, United Nations’ Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen said.
“Syrians urgently need global assistance,” Pederson said.
“I reiterate the Secretary-General’s call on the international community to help the thousands suffering from loss. Syrians urgently need global assistance,” Pederson said.
Death toll climbs to 3,452 following the devastating earthquake
From CNN’s Mia Alberti, Isil Sariyuce, Hira Humayun and Hande Atay Alam
The death toll across Turkey and Syria has risen to at least 3,452 after a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked southern Turkey early Monday.
The total number of injured in Turkey and Syria climbed to 15,762 on Monday.
The total death toll in Turkey has climbed to 2,316, according to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD).
The total death toll in Syria rose to 1,136. SANA reports 656 across government-controlled areas and the “White Helmets” group, officially known as the Syria Civil Defense, reported 480 deaths in opposition-controlled areas.
Turkey has at least 13,293 and Syria has 2,469 injured people following the devastating earthquake.
Iraq will send aid to Turkey and Syria, prime minister says
From CNN’s Sahar Akbarzai, Mohammed Tawfeeq and Aqeel Najim
Iraq has announced it will send aid to earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria, according to a statement released Monday from Iraq’s prime minister, Mohammed S. Al-Sudani.
“Iraq set up today an air bridge to both Syria and Turkiye to send urgent relief aid, which includes emergency medical supplies, first aid, and shelter supplies and medicine and fuel,” Al-Sudani explained.
“These efforts align with the Iraqi commitment to humanitarian cooperation with brotherly and friendly peoples and solidarity with the victims of the humanitarian disaster,” the prime minister said.
Following the order of al-Sudani, Iraqi Military transport aircraft sent the first shipment of humanitarian, medical, and food aid to Damascus Airport in Syria, the Iraqi defense ministry said in a statement on Monday.
The defense ministry said this is “to alleviate the burden of the crisis that Syria is going through after the catastrophe of the earthquake that struck,” Turkey and Syria.
“Many people are very scared.” UN coordinator says search and rescue operation is very tough in Syria
From CNN’s Mitchell McCluskey
The situation in Syria is “really tough” after a devastating earthquake hit the region on Monday, the UN’s Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria, El-Mostafa Benlamlih, told CNN.
“The search and rescue is hampered by the situation here where there is a lack of heavy equipment and machinery to clear the rubble,” he said. “The situation in Syria is really, really, tough. Beyond the crisis that we have been given, it’s not easy to import things…. It’s not easy to find spare parts for that equipment. And nobody expected this anyway – so it wasn’t at the top of priorities.”
Benlamlih said the work will continue, “and we have teams in Aleppo and Hama, and other places trying to assess the situation.”
Many buildings collapsed around northwest Syria during the earthquake, and more could still fall, Benlamlih said.
“Buildings in those places are already very vulnerable, and it might not be a surprise to have other buildings coming down. Particularly as we’re facing also very tough conditions of work with the rain, and with the snow that is I think expected tonight in all of northwest Syria,” Benlamlih said.
“Many people are very scared. They don’t want to go back to their houses if we can call them houses, in these cases,” Benlamlih said, “They are afraid of the tremors. So they are spending their nights in freezing temperatures.”
Benlamlih said that the UN has a stock of supplies they have been distributed, but more supplies are needed.
At least 5,606 buildings collapsed during and after the earthquake, Turkish agency says
From CNN’s Hande Atay Alam
At least 5,606 buildings collapsed during and after the earthquake on Monday, according to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Agency.
There are a total of 19,574 rescue personnel working in the earthquake region for recovery efforts, an AFAD statement said.
Turkish Airlines announced Monday that flight operations to Adana, Elazig, and Diyarbakir continue for citizens who want to reach the earthquake zone.
According to Afad’s statement, the airports in Malatya, Adana, Diyarbakır, and Adıyaman are open to all flights. Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa Airports are only open to aid flights while Kahramanmaraş and Hatay airports are closed to flights due to the earthquake damage, an AFAD statement said.
The death toll in Turkey climbed to 2,316 on Monday, according to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD).
Source: https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/turkey-earthquake-latest-020623/index.html
