The death toll continues to increase following Monday’s 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck regions of Turkey and Syria. By Wednesday afternoon, 11,000 people had been killed.
It has been claimed that more than 8,000 people have been rescued from fallen buildings in Turkey alone, while another 380 thousand people are being housed in shelters and hotels.
Others who are battling the cold and snow are believed to have sought sanctuary in malls, mosques, and community centers.
Overnight, 3,400 people sought refuge in trains being used as emergency shelters, according to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure. The country’s disaster management agency has received 11,342 reports of collapsed buildings, of which 5,775 have been confirmed.
Turkey has dispatched around 24,000 search and rescue workers to date. Gift of the Givers teams from South Africa are also assisting with search and rescue operations. The number of personnel is anticipated to increase, according to Orhan Tatar, a representative of the disaster management agency.
The Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, James Cleverly, reported that three British citizens are still missing following the catastrophic earthquake. Cleverly stated on Tuesday that the risk of widespread British casualties remains low.
Four Australians are missing as well. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs is giving consular support to afflicted families, while ten neighboring nations have declared a state of emergency.
»Death toll in quake-stricken Turkey and Syria reaches 11,000«