More than 3800 people were killed and thousands more wounded following a deadly earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria in the early hours of Monday – with experts warning the death toll was likely to rise sharply as snowy, freezing conditions hamper rescue efforts.
The magnitude 7.8 tremor struck overnight near the city of Gaziantep, and was felt nearly 1,000km away in Cairo, leaving a huge trail of destruction in Turkey and Syria, where many remained trapped below rubble as a second 7.5 magnitude earthquake then hit just hours later.
Authorities said 2379 people had died in Turkey, with more than 14,000 injured. At least 1,451 people were killed in Syria with more than 2,100 injured, according to figures from the Damascus government and rescue workers in the northwestern region controlled by insurgents.
More than 5,600 buildings collapsed in 10 cities of southern and southeast Turkey, according to the Turkish health minister, Fahrettin Koca.
Almost 10,000 rescuers are working across the 10 Turkish provinces hit by the earthquake officials said. Turkish authorities said that 7, 340 people had been rescued so far.
Qatar said it was sending a search and rescue team and hospital equipment to Turkey. And Dubai pledged $13 million in humanitarian aid to Syria.
The United Arab Emirates said it would dispatch search and rescue teams to both Turkey and Syria, establish a field hospital in Turkey and send emergency supplies to Syria.
Ifunanya Ikueze is an Engineer, Safety Professional, Writer, Investor, Entrepreneur and Educator.
