Get the daily newsletter
account_circle
|

Turkey-Syria earthquake: search and rescue operations to end soon

The death toll from the earthquakes has exceeded 46,000.

Photo by Kurmanbek on Wikimedia / CC BY-SA 4.0

The Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) said search and rescue operations have ended in most provinces, nearly two weeks after the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

“The death toll due to the earthquakes rose to 40,642, and the work of searching and rescue for people stuck under the debris has ended in most of the provinces,” said Yunis Sezar, head of AFAD, Saturday.

“We believe we will end the search and rescue operations by tomorrow night,” he added.

Syria’s death toll remains unchanged at around 5800.

Meanwhile, medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) announced a convoy of 14 of its trucks had entered northwestern Syria on Sunday to assist in earthquake rescue operations.

“We emptied our emergency stocks in three days, donating nearly 12 tons of surgical equipment, dressing, and medicines to hospitals,” says Hakim Khaldi, head of the MSF’s mission in Syria.

“Our teams provided support to the health facilities in the area until they were exhausted,” he added.