8th February 2023 – (Istanbul) The total death toll from the deadly earthquake in Turkey and Syria surged to 11,104. In Turkey, the death toll has risen to at least 8,574, with nearly 50,000 others reported injured. Meanwhile, in Syria, at least 2,802 people have been reported killed across the government-controlled areas and rebel-held regions, officials said. The total number of injured people in Syria across all affected territories rose to 5,008.
China announced that it will send 30 million yuan (US$4.4 million) of emergency humanitarian aid to Syria, including US$2 million of aid and other urgently needed relief supplies.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan aims to rebuild the southern region of Kahramanmaras, the epicentre of the deadly earthquake, “in one year.”
According to Xinhua News, rescuers were racing against time and a bitter cold to find survivors in Kahramanmaras, the epicenter of two huge and deadly earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday.
Many countries and global aid agencies are offering rescue teams and relief supplies to quake-hit regions.
An 82-member Chinese rescue team arrived at Adana Airport on Wednesday to assist in rescue efforts in the quake-hit areas in Turkey after flying over 8,000 km on a chartered plane.
“Upon arrival, the team will bring audio and video life detectors, medical equipment and rescue dogs to the disaster area and immediately start the search and rescue work,” said Wang Mo, deputy head of the Chinese rescue team.
Meanwhile, Syria’s government has ramped up its calls for the removal of economic US and EU sanctions in the aftermath of Monday’s earthquake.