Thousands of children and families at risk, warns Unicef
With many homes destroyed by the quakes, families will be displaced and exposed to the elements at a time of year when temperatures regularly dip below freezing and snow and freezing rain are common, UNICEF has warned.
It warned that the earthquakes are likely to have damaged or destroyed schools, hospitals and other educational and medical facilities, further affecting children. «The potential damage to roads and critical infrastructure will also complicate search and rescue efforts and the broader humanitarian response,» she said.
“The images we are seeing from Syria and Türkiye are heartbreaking,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. «That the initial quake happened so early in the morning, when many children were fast asleep, made it even more dangerous, and aftershocks bring ongoing risks.»
Photo: Four children from the same family die in earthquake in Syria
The bodies of four children from a Syrian family lie wrapped in sheets in the town of Jandaris on Monday, following a deadly earthquake.
South Korea and Japan extend condolences to Turkey
Japanese and South Korean leaders expressed their condolences to Turkey, drawing historical links between their nations’ tragedies.
«Like Turkey, Japan has also suffered severe earthquake damage many times, and in past disasters, Japan and Turkey have also provided mutual support,» Prime Minister Kishida Fumio told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday, according to a report. release. statement.
«We stand ready to help Turkiye, a brotherhood forged in blood during the Korean War, in any way possible.» South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol wrote in Twitter.
Pakistani PM to visit Turkey and offer support
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will travel to Turkey’s capital Ankara on Wednesday, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Tuesday. Twitter.
«24 hours after the devastating earthquake struck Turkiye and Syria, the scenes of death and destruction are mind-boggling,» Sharif said in a separate statement. cheep on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the South Asian country also dispatched dozens of disaster relief personnel and relief teams that arrived in Turkey on Tuesday, the Pakistani air force said in a statement. cheep.
Photo: Woman rescued from rubble in southern Turkey
Rescue teams pull a woman out of the rubble of a collapsed building in Kahramanmaras, southern Turkey, on Tuesday.
White Helmets ‘unable to respond to full scale of disaster’ in Syria
In Syria, members of the White Helmets are struggling to cope with the scale of the disaster, the organization said in a statement on Tuesday.
«Our teams are making great efforts, but they are unable to respond to the full scale of the disaster. Hundreds are still trapped under the rubble,» the search and rescue response team officially known as Syria Civil Defense said in a statement.
In a separate statement, he said more than 200 buildings had been completely destroyed, with tens of thousands cracked.
Some 23 million people likely affected by earthquakes, WHO warns
Some 23 million people, including 1.4 million children, in Turkey and Syria were likely affected by Monday’s earthquake and its aftershocks, according to the World Health Organization.
The WHO said it was sending emergency supplies, including trauma and emergency surgical teams, to the region while activating a network of emergency medical teams.
«Now it’s a race against time,» said WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. «Every minute, every hour that passes, the chances of finding survivors alive diminish.»
Photo: Los Angeles County firefighters deployed in Turkey
Members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department prepare for deployment to Pacoima, California, Monday after US Aid activated them to go to Turkey to assist with earthquake recovery efforts.
China offers nearly $6 billion in aid to Turkey and Syria
Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed condolences to Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, China’s Foreign Ministry said late Monday.
«Xi Jinping expressed his surprise upon learning of the strong earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, which caused a large number of casualties and material losses,» the ministry said in a statement. statement.
China will also provide 40 million yuan ($5.9 million) in relief aid to Turkey, according to the state news agency. xinhua he said on Tuesday, adding that the Chinese Red Cross will provide additional aid of $200,000 to Turkey and Syria each.
Photo: Turkish mosque destroyed by earthquake
The Yeni Mosque destroyed by an earthquake in Malatya, Turkey on Monday.
Freezing weather complicates the search for survivors
As search and rescue teams scramble to pull survivors from the rubble amid continuing aftershocks, freezing weather and snow are further complicating the search.
In Malatya, a city in Turkey’s eastern Anatolia region, rescue teams searched for survivors in sub-zero weather on Tuesday.
Photo: Dust rises from rubble as search intensifies in Turkey
Emergency teams search for people in the rubble of a destroyed building in Adana, southern Turkey, on Tuesday.
Indian relief team and relief team arrive in Turkey
India’s first shipment of its aid kit arrived in Turkey on Tuesday morning, with a second supply on the way, authorities said.
More than 50 search and rescue people were dispatched, as well as dog squads, relief equipment and medicines, Foreign Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar wrote in Twitter.
«India continues to support the people of Türkiye in their hour of need,» Foreign Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said on Twitter.
Photo: The search continues amid the fire in the port of Iskendetun, Turkey
A woman searches for victims at the site of a collapsed building as columns of black smoke rise in the Turkish port city of Iskenderun on Tuesday.
Search and rescue efforts continue as death toll tops 5,000
Search and rescue efforts continued in Turkey and Syria on Tuesday after devastating earthquakes on Monday as the death toll continued to rise, surpassing 5,000 people.
In Turkey, at least 3,419 people have died, the country’s vice president said in an update. In Syria, the death toll in government-controlled areas rose to 812 people, according to the Health Ministry. Meanwhile, at least 790 people have been killed in the country’s rebel-held territories, according to the White Helmets.
That brings the total to at least 5,021 people killed in Turkey and Syria, with thousands more injured and many still buried under rubble.