Following the devastating natural disaster that engulfed the European country of Turkey, the death toll in the Syrian-Turkish border region has risen to over 5, 000.
Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay, announced during a press conference on Tuesday that Monday’s massive earthquakes and powerful aftershocks had killed at least 3,419 people and injured another 20,534 in southeastern part of the country.
Additionally, at least 1,603 were killed and 3,649 injured in both government- and rebel-controlled areas of northwestern Syria, according to combined figures from the Syrian Ministry of Health and the Syrian civil defense and medical group that operates in opposition-held areas, known as the White Helmets.
According to the Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, AFAD, more than 20,000 people were injured while many others were still trapped in the rubbles. The authority added that over 5,700 buildings were reported to have collapsed.
He noted that the bad weather included heavy snowfall, downpours and strong winds in the affected regions. Temperatures are around freezing point in some places.
The first earthquake measured at a magnitude of 7.8, struck southeast Turkey in the border region with Syria early on Monday morning and was followed at about noon by another quake with a magnitude of 7.5 with more than 285 aftershocks.
