Turkey-Syria earthquake: Over 7,800 killed as fears grow for untold numbers buried by the massive earthquake

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• Feb 8, 2023 | Dhupali Das

Turkey-Syria earthquake updates: The magnitude 7.8 earthquake on Monday, followed by an almost similar one hour later, toppled thousands of buildings in Turkey and northern Syria...

Digital Desk: The death toll from a massive earthquake in southern Turkey and Syria rose to more than 7,800 people on Wednesday morning, as rescuers raced against the clock in harsh winter weather to pull survivors from the rubble of collapsed buildings.

As the scale of the disaster became apparent, the death toll seemed to be on the rise. According to a U.N. official, thousands of children might have died.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan declared a state of emergency in ten provinces. Residents in several affected Turkish cities, however, expressed outrage and disappointment at what they called the authorities' delayed and inadequate response to the deadliest earthquake to strike Turkey since 1999.

The magnitude 7.8 earthquake on Monday, followed by an almost similar one hour later, toppled thousands of buildings in Turkey and northern Syria, including hospitals, schools, and apartment blocks, injured tens of thousands, and left countless others homeless.

Rescue workers struggled to access some of the worst-affected areas, hampered by damaged roads, bad weather, and a shortage of supplies and heavy equipment. Some areas were without fuel and electricity.

With little quick assistance available, residents dug through the rubble, sometimes without even basic tools, in a desperate search for survivors.

Aid officials expressed particular alarm about the situation in Syria, which is already in the grip of a humanitarian crisis following nearly 12 years of civil conflict.

Two National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams comprising 101 personnel left for Turkiye on Tuesday to help in rescue efforts following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that killed thousands. Two search dogs, four-wheeled vehicles, chipping hammers, cutting tools, first aid supplies, and communication equipment complement the central contingency force. The Indian government has summoned an emergency meeting with Indian airlines that fly to Turkey in the aftermath of earthquakes in the western Asian nation.

According to USGS research geologist Alex Hatem, 13 tremors with magnitudes of at least 5 were felt nearby within the first 11 hours. Turkey experienced a second, bigger quake with a magnitude of 7.5, followed by another, smaller quake with a value of 6.0 nine hours later.