ANKARA/DAMASCUS: The death toll as a result of deadly earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday has reached 22,210 mark with thousands injured in both of the countries.
10-day-old baby named Yağız Ulaş and his mother were pulled alive from under the rubble in the 90th hour of the #earthquake in Hatay #Turkiye, pic.twitter.com/jWJ9KX1ccD
— EHA News (@eha_news) February 10, 2023
According to data provided by Turkish officials on Friday, the death toll in the country now stood at 18,342, with more than 74,242 injured. At least 75,780 people have been evacuated only the affected areas.
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Here is the Main Street of f the Dogansehir district of the Malatya province. Totally destroyed ???? #malatyadeprem pic.twitter.com/jXcH7Tgtbu
— Mutlu Civiroglu (@mutludc) February 10, 2023
Türkiye’s disaster management agency, AHAD, said it has recorded almost 650 aftershocks since two earthquakes – 7.8 and 7.6 in magnitude – struck, making rescue efforts even more difficult and dangerous as emergency teams comb through severely weakened buildings.
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Meanwhile, Turkey extended the nationwide closure of schools and universities after catastrophic earthquakes struck the southern region.Earlier pause for schools until Feb. 13 has been extended for another week to Feb. 20, said Education Minister Mahmut Özer.
Separately, the opening of universities across Türkiye has been suspended until further notice, the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) said in a statement.
Schools and dormitories have been opened to accommodate the survivors of the earthquakes.
President Erdoğan has already declared a three-month state of emergency in the provinces devastated by the earthquake.
According to Syrian state media, at least 1,347 people were killed and over 2,295 others injured in government-held areas. The Syrian government has declared Aleppo, Latakia, Idlib and Hama as disastrous zones.
