Turkey-Syria Quake: Death toll rises to 4,800

At least 4,800 people have died in the twin earthquake that rocked border communities in Turkey and Syria.

Orhan Tatar, an official with Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), gave the number of dead in the county at 3,381 on Tuesday morning, while 20,426 others were injured. Mr Tatar said more than 5,700 buildings had also been destroyed.

In Syria, at least 1,444 people were killed and about 3,500 others were injured, according to the Ministry of Health and the White Helmets rescue organisation.

Extreme weather conditions have worsened the plight of both victims of the quake and the rescuers.

Turkey’s President Recep Erdogan called Monday’s twin temblors the “biggest disaster” since the 1939 Erzincan earthquake, which killed about 33,000 people, Al Jazeera reported.

He also declared seven days of national mourning while Syria has appealed to the United Nations for help.

Several countries including Nigeria condoled the victims and expressed willingness to support the affected countries through the disaster.

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