UPDATE: Death toll in Turkey and Syria exceeds 5000 as Erdogan imposes state emergency for three months

UPDATE: John Cleese reveals where new Fawlty Towers will be located and on which channel

John Cleese reveals where new Fawlty Towers will be located and on which channel

UPDATE February 7 (2.13 pm) – President Recep Tayyip Erdogan imposes a three-month state of emergency across 10 provinces as the death toll in Turkey and Syria exceeds 5000  

Freezing temperatures along with aftershocks continue to create problems for search and rescue teams across Turkey and Syria, as the death toll in both countries continues to rise after the devastating earthquake.  

According to a recent statement by the Turkish president, the number of people dead in Turkey has now increased to 3,549. Erdogan has also announced a state of emergency across 10 provinces, during a recent speech, as per Reuters.  

He said that 70 countries have offered to help Turkey with the search and rescue operations, adding that the government will be opening up hotels in Antalya to temporarily house people affected by the earthquake.  

The provinces where the emergency has been declared are located in southern Turkey and the government estimates that over 13.5 million people have been affected by the quake.  

A statement by the Turkish government said, “The impact has been felt in an area spanning roughly 450 km (280 miles) from Adana in the west to Diyarbakir in the east, and 300 km (185 miles) from Malatya in the north to Hatay in the south”.

Meanwhile, the Syrian government has also raised the death toll in the country to 1,602, which has increased the total number of deaths in both countries to over 5,000.  

As the search and rescue operations continue in both countries, the World Health Organisation has warned that the total death toll after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake will exceed 20,000 people.  

The disaster management agency in Turkey has also reported that over 11,342 buildings have also collapsed in the country.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

UPDATE February 6 (2.18 pm) – Officials have now confirmed that the death toll in Turkey and Syria has increased to 1500 after another earthquake hit the region

The devastation caused by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Turkey and Syria on Monday, February 6 has resulted in the death of over 1,500 people.

Recent figures have been updated by the Turkish government after they announced that 1,014 people have died, as the region was hit by a second earthquake, as per the Guardian.

Earlier Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had announced that 912 people had been killed during the earthquake.

Rescue operations are underway in both countries as the authorities suggest that the number is further expected to increase.

While the Syrian ministry has confirmed that more than 326 people have died, as per the White Helmets rescue service, over 221 people have also been reported dead in areas not controlled by the government.

More than 5,383 people in Turkey and over 1000 people in Syria have also been reported injured.

Authorities in both countries have also said that hundreds of people are still believed to be trapped under the rubble, as extensive rescue operations are being conducted across several cities and towns in the countries.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

UPDATE February 6 (8.54 am) – Turkish and Syrian governments now say that over 500 people have been confirmed dead after the earthquake on Monday, February 6  

Over 284 people have been confirmed dead in Turkey after the tragic earthquake struck the country, as the death toll continues to climb.  

Many buildings in both Turkey and Syria have collapsed as rescue teams are racing against time to search for survivors under the debris.  

The confirmation of the death toll in Turkey was given in a statement by Fuat Oktay, Turkey´s vice president, who said that the number of dead has increased from 76 to 284, as per the BBC.  

Syrian authorities had earlier reported that 230 people have been confirmed dead, but further updates are awaited.  

As per authorities from both countries,  the number of dead is expected to rise as the rescue work continues.  

The US geological survey had earlier said that the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck at 4.17 am (local time) with the epicenter near the city of Gaziantep.  

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ORIGINAL February 6 (7.55 am) – Authorities have confirmed that over 300 people have died after a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Turkey and Syria on Monday, February 6 

At least 300 people have been reported dead after a major earthquake struck central Turkey and northwest Syria, as the search for survivors trapped under the rubble continues.  

As per reports, the quake hit during the early hours of Monday and was also felt in Cyprus and Lebanon.

The disaster agency in Turkey has said that 76 people have been confirmed dead and over 440 are injured. Rescue teams and supply aircrafts have been sent to the affected area, while a “level 4 alarm” has been declared, that calls for international assistance.  

“I have never felt anything like it in the 40 years I’ve lived,” said Erdem, a resident of the Turkish city of Gaziantep, cited by Reuters. 

He added, “We were shaken at least three times very strongly, like a baby in a crib.” 

Turkey´s interior minister Suleyman Soylu has said that all the rescue teams are on high alert and are carrying out search and rescue.  

Meanwhile, as per the state media in Syria, at least 230 people have been reported dead, while dozens are injured. Most of the deaths have taken place in the provinces of Hama, Aleppo, and Latakia, where Syrian authorities said several buildings have collapsed. 

The White Helmets rescue organanisation has said that “The situation is very tragic as tens of buildings have collapsed in the city of Salqin (Syria).” 

Authorities in Syria have also stated that many buildings that have collapsed had already suffered damage during the 12 years of civil war in the country.

___________________________________________________________

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Written by

Imran Khan

A journalist, content professional, and former TEDx Speaker based in Tarragona (Spain), with a Master's in International Journalism (Cardiff, UK). Imran is an online reporter for The Euro Weekly News and covers international as well as Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com

Comments