UPDATE: Death toll following devastating Turkey and Syria earthquake rises to more than 11,000

UPDATE February 8 (2.10pm) – Earthquake death toll rises sharply to over 11,000 as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visits the scene

More than 11,000 people in southern Turkey and northern Syria are now known to have been killed following Monday’s devastating earthquakes.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has visited the earthquake disaster zone in his country, though criticism is reportedly growing over speed of the official response.

Families in some badly-hit areas have told the BBC that the slow speed of rescue efforts means they have had no help digging through ruins to find relatives.

President Erdogan has apparently acknowledged there’d been difficulties with the initial response, but went on to blame delays on damaged roads and airports.

Meanwhile, the White Helmets, who are leading efforts to rescue people in rebel-held areas Syria, say time is running out to save people.

More than 2,660 people have now been confirmed dead in Syria, according to authorities on the ground.

Syria’s health minister says the number of deaths in government-controlled areas has risen to 1,262, according to the state-run Sana news agency.

UPDATE February 8 (11am) – Death toll approaching 10,000 following the devastating earthquakes in southern Turkey and northern Syria

The death toll following the devastating earthquakes in southern Turkey and northern Syria yesterday, Monday, February 7, continues to rise at an alarming rate.

The figure is now almost 10,000 lives lost according to the latest update from Reuters.

Overwhelmed rescuers continue to pull people from the rubble, two days after the earthquake.

In Turkey, dozens of bodies, some covered in blankets and sheets, are lined up on the outside a hospital in Hatay Province.

The first 7.8 magnitude quake struck near Gaziantep in the early hours of yesterday, followed by a 7.5 magnitude tremor hours later.

Rescuers there and in neighbouring Syria are warning that the death toll will keep rising as some said help is yet to arrive.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared a three-month state of emergency in the 10 provinces worst affected.

UPDATE February 8 (9.40am) – More than 9,000 people are now known to have died following the devastating earthquakes in southern Turkey and northern Syria

Desperate rescuers are continuing to desperately search for survivors in southern Turkey and northern Syria after two huge earthquakes early on Monday, February 7.

The BBC are new reporting that the total number of people killed has now passed 9,000.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is reportedly heading to visit Kahramanmaras and Hatay, the president’s office has announced.

He will also go to Pazarcik, epicenter of the quake.

Mr Erdogan yesterday declared a three-month state of emergency in the 10 provinces worst affected.

Death toll in Turkey and Syria reaches close to 8,700, as the freezing temperatures create further problems for rescue operations

More than 8,700 people are now reported to have been killed in the huge earthquakes which struck southern Turkey and northern Syria earlier this week.

The first 7.8 magnitude quake struck near Gaziantep in the early hours of Monday, February 6, followed by a 7.5 magnitude tremor hours later.

A breakdown of the figures by AFP news agency says 5,894 people died in Turkey and at least 1,932 are reported dead in Syria.

As search efforts have been continuing into a second freezing-cold night, a warning from the World Health Organisation has been issued indicating that the death toll could continue to surge.

More than 23 million people could be affected by the disaster.

Time is reportedly running out for rescuers to find survivors under the rubble as relatives of victims who lived in collapsed buildings have joined frantic rescue efforts in one of the worst-hit Turkish cities, using pickaxes and crowbars.

A three-month state of emergency has been declared in Turkey by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the 10 provinces worst affected by the quake.

According to the BBC, the British government has increased its funding to the White Helmets civil defence organisation, which operates in rebel-controlled areas of Syria, to help it tackle the aftermath of the earthquake.

It is giving the White Helmets an additional £800,000 ($963,000) – that is on top of the £2.25m the UK gives them each year.

The Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, told MPs the UK would also provide help within Syria via the International Medical Corps, Save the Children and UN agencies.

Mr Cleverly said: “The Conflict Stability and Security Fund will provide an uplift to the opposition Syria Civil Defence – commonly known as the White Helmets – to support their emergency response operations across north west Syria.”

Turkish goalkeeper Ahmet Eyup Turkaslan has died following Monday’s earthquakes in his home country, his club Yeni Malatyaspor has confirmed.

“Our goalkeeper, Ahmet Eyup Turkaslan, lost his life after being under the collapse of the earthquake. Rest in peace,” the club said on Twitter.

“We will not forget you, beautiful person,” the post added.

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