The death toll from the 7.4 magnitude earthquake registered on Monday in southern Turkey, near the Syrian border, has risen to more than 1,300, according to data provided by the authorities of both countries and the ‘white helmets’, although it is feared that the figure may rise in the coming hours because thousands of people have been injured and many are still trapped in the rubble.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the press that at least 912 people have died and 5,385 have been injured as a result of the earthquake, which he described as «the biggest disaster since the 1939 earthquake», which left more than 30,000 dead.
«Our state has taken measures with all institutions since the earthquake took place and our provinces have mobilized all their capacities,» he said, before noting that more than 9,000 workers are working in search and rescue operations.
The governor of the province of Kahramanmaras, Omer Faruk Coskun, stressed that «it is not possible to give an exact number of dead and injured at this time» and added that «the damage is serious». The earthquake had its epicenter in the district of Pazarcik, located in this province.
In this line, the mayor of Kahramanmaras, Hayrettin Gungor, has recognized that the situation is a «disaster» and added that the authorities «are on the ground with all their capabilities». «Our request to citizens is not to crowd and not to disrupt traffic. We need to help the (search and rescue) teams,» he argued.
For his part, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told a press conference that the Turkish government has declared the highest level of alarm, which includes a request for international assistance, and has sent numerous search and rescue teams to the earthquake zones.
The earthquake has also left around 240 people dead in the areas of Syria controlled by the authorities, according to data from the Syrian Ministry of Health, which noted that around 640 people have been injured. Most of the victims reside in the provinces of Latakia, Aleppo, Hama and Tartus.
In view of the situation, the Syrian Defense Ministry has announced the mobilization of all its units and institutions to provide aid to the victims, according to a statement carried by the Syrian state news agency SANA. The country’s president, Bashar al-Assad, has also headed an emergency government meeting to analyze the situation.
To these figures must be added about 150 dead and more than 340 wounded in the areas controlled by the rebels in the provinces of Idlib and Aleppo, in the northwest of the Arab country, according to the Syrian Civil Defense, known as ‘white helmets’, through its Twitter account, where it has lamented «the catastrophe and devastation» caused by the earthquake.
«The earthquake in northwest Syria has killed 147 people and injured more than 340. The toll could rise as many families are still trapped. Our teams are on the ground searching for survivors and removing the dead from the rubble,» he said. «Houses, buildings and residential areas completely destroyed. Urgent support is needed for response efforts,» he said.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
