Quake death toll tops 21,000 in Türkiye, Syria-Xinhua

Quake death toll tops 21,000 in Türkiye, Syria

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2023-02-10 09:35:15

Rescue workers search for survivors among the rubble of a damaged building in Antakya in the southern province of Hatay, Türkiye, Feb. 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Shadati)

ANKARA/DAMASCUS, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from Monday's devastating earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria has surpassed 21,000, according to latest data released by authorities and rescuers.

The death toll from the earthquakes climbed to 17,674 in Türkiye, with 72,879 injuries, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said Thursday.

In Syria, 1,678 people were killed in government-held areas, and the death toll in the opposition-held region stood at 2,190, according to media reports.

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Türkiye's southern province of Kahramanmaras at 4:17 a.m. local time (0117 GMT), followed by a magnitude 6.4 quake a few minutes later in the country's southern province of Gaziantep and a magnitude 7.6 earthquake at 1:24 p.m. local time (1024 GMT) in Kahramanmaras Province.

International search and rescue teams, including an 82-member Chinese rescue team that arrived in Türkiye on Wednesday, rushed to the quake-impacted zone to assist in rescue efforts.

Destroyed buildings are pictured in Antakya in the southern province of Hatay, Türkiye, Feb. 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Shadati)

A machine moves a damaged vehicle in Antakya in the southern province of Hatay, Türkiye, Feb. 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Shadati)

Rescue workers search for survivors among the rubble of a damaged building in Antakya in the southern province of Hatay, Türkiye, Feb. 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Shadati)

Rescue workers search for survivors among the rubble of a damaged building in Antakya in the southern province of Hatay, Türkiye, Feb. 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Shadati)

Heavy equipment machines move debris from the rubble of a damaged building in Antakya in the southern province of Hatay, Türkiye, Feb. 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Shadati)

This photo taken on Feb. 9, 2023 shows the rubble of collapsed buildings in Latakia, Syria. (Str/Xinhua)

Rescuers search for survivors trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings in Aleppo, Syria, Feb. 9, 2023. (Str/Xinhua)

Rescuers search for survivors trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings in Aleppo, Syria, Feb. 9, 2023. (Str/Xinhua)

A man drives a bulldozer to clear the rubble amid collapsed buildings in Aleppo, Syria, Feb. 9, 2023. (Str/Xinhua)

People search for survivors trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings in Latakia, Syria, Feb. 9, 2023. (Str/Xinhua)

A rescuer searches for survivors trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings in Latakia, Syria, Feb. 9, 2023. (Str/Xinhua)