IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.
EVENT ENDED
Last updated

Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria updates: Death toll soars past 16,000 from the deadliest quake in over a decade 

Desperate efforts to find survivors continue in a race against time that has been hampered by frigid conditions.

NBC News' live coverage of this story has ended. Please follow our coverage here.

Latest on quakes that hit beleaguered region

  • The death toll from Monday's devastating earthquakes has soared past 16,000 and is expected to rise.
  • The temblor has become the deadliest since Japan’s 9.0-magnitude quake in 2011 sparked a triple catastrophe that left more than an estimated 20,000 people dead.
  • At least three U.S. citizens were among the thousands of people killed in Turkey, according to a State Department spokesperson.
  • Desperate efforts to rescue survivors continue in Turkey and Syria as frigid conditions hamper progress in some areas.
  • Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has acknowledged problems with the relief effort after visiting the affected areas Wednesday.
  • A civil war and shattered roads slow aid to quake-hit Syria.

U.S. search and rescue teams arrive in Turkey to help earthquake relief


Death toll passes 16,000

Max Burman

The number of people confirmed dead from the quakes has now passed 16,000.

12,873 people have died in Turkey, according to the country's disaster management authority. In Syria's government-controlled areas the toll has reached 1,262, according to the health ministry, with another 1,900 killed in rebel-held territory, according to the White Helmets.

That takes the total to 16,035, with thousands more injured and the toll expected to rise.

Twitter access is restored in Turkey after talks

Access to Twitter has been restored in Turkey, the internet observatory Netblocks said Thursday, after talks between the company and Turkish authorities.

Access to the social media platform had been restricted on Wednesday, setting off protests by opposition politicians, academics and activists who emphasized its importance as a source of information on earthquake damage, aid distribution and the well-being of individuals.

Omer Fatih Sayan, Turkey’s deputy transportation and infrastructure minister, said officials had told Twitter executives that they expected the platform to cooperate in fighting disinformation and respecting the privacy of victims.

“We must be very sensitive at this time,” he said in a Twitter post.

Earlier Wednesday, Twitter CEO Elon Musk said the company had been informed by the Turkish government that full access would be re-enabled “shortly.”

Death toll grows to nearly 16,000

As crews continue to search the rubble for survivors of the catastrophic earthquakes in Syria and Turkey, the death toll climbs.

Almost 16,000 people had been confirmed dead in the region by Thursday morning.

In Syria, 2,992 deaths have been reported, and Turkish officials said the toll in that nation is 12,873. Overall, 15,867 lives have been lost in the disaster that injured thousands more.

Elon Musk says Turkey to re-enable full Twitter access ‘shortly’

Reuters

Twitter CEO Elon Musk said in a tweet on Wednesday that the company had been informed by the government of Turkey that full access to the social media platform in the country will be re-enabled “shortly”.

The Netblocks internet observatory, which tracks connectivity across the globe, said earlier on Wednesday that Twitter access had been restricted two days after a major earthquake killed thousands in southern Turkey and northern Syria.

“Twitter has been informed by the Turkish government that access will be re-enabled shortly,” Musk tweeted, without providing further details on timing.

Netblocks reported earlier that, “Real-time network data show Twitter has been restricted in Turkey; the filtering is applied on major internet providers and comes as the public come to rely on the service in the aftermath of a series of deadly earthquakes.”

Turkey’s Transportation and Infrastructure Ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

Turkish people have taken to Twitter since the earthquake to post information about loved ones they cannot reach, reports of collapsed buildings in the area and coordination for aid.

Death toll surpasses 15,380

By Thursday morning, the death toll from this week's catastrophic earthquakes had surpassed 15,350 people.

Overall, 15,383 have been confirmed dead — including 12,391 people in Turkey, 2,992 people in Syria — according to officials in those countries and the White Helmets aid group.

More than 20,000 others were injured in the earthquakes, which are the deadliest worldwide in more than a decade.

Maxar satellite images appear to show collapsed apartment high-rises and other damage

NBC News

New satellite images released Wednesday appeared to capture the damage in the far southern Turkish city of Antakya, including collapsed high-rise buildings.

“Extensive building damage can be seen throughout the area,” Maxar Technologies said.

A before and after satellite view view of residential streets in Antakya, Turkey.
A before and after satellite view view of residential streets in Antakya, Turkey.Satellite image ©2023 Maxar Technologies

The before-and-after photos — the earlier images were from December — appear to show the devastation in the city, which is close to the Syrian border. Damage is also seen downtown in Kahramanmaras, which is north of Gaziantep.

A before and after aerial view of buildings downtown and stadium in Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
A before and after aerial view of buildings downtown and stadium in Kahramanmaras, Turkey.Satellite image ©2023 Maxar Technologies

At least 3 U.S. citizens killed in Turkey earthquakes, State Department says

Abigail Williams

At least three U.S. citizens died in the earthquakes that struck Turkey and killed more than 12,000 people in that country and in Syria, a State Department spokesperson said Wednesday.

“We offer our sincerest condolences to the victims and to the families of all of those affected,” the spokesperson said.

More information about the U.S. citizens was not immediately released. The State Department spokesperson cited privacy concerns. The three U.S. citizens died in Turkey, the spokesperson said.

The official said staff in Turkey and the U.S. "are working tirelessly to provide consular assistance to these victims and their family members."

Experts say survival window for those trapped is closing

The Associated Press

Experts said the survival window for those trapped under the rubble or otherwise unable to obtain basic necessities was closing rapidly. At the same time, they said it was too soon to abandon hope.

“The first 72 hours are considered to be critical,” said Steven Godby, a natural hazards expert at Nottingham Trent University in England. “The survival ratio on average within 24 hours is 74%, after 72 hours it is 22% and by the fifth day it is 6%.”

HATAY, TURKIYE - FEBRUARY 08: Personnel conduct search and rescue operations following 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes hit Turkiye's multiple provinces on Feb. 06, including Iskenderun district of Hatay, Turkiye on February 08, 2023. Early Monday morning, a strong 7.7 earthquake, centered in the Pazarcik district, jolted Kahramanmaras and strongly shook several provinces, including Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Adana, Adiyaman, Malatya, Osmaniye, Hatay, and Kilis. Later, at 13.24 p.m. (1024GMT), a 7.6 magnitude quake centered in Kahramanmaras' Elbistan district struck the region. Turkiye declared 7 days of national mourning on Feb. 06 after deadly earthquakes in southern provinces.
Personnel conduct search and rescue operations in the Iskenderun district of Hatay, Turkey, on Wednesday.Muhammed Abdullah Kurtar / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Rescuers at times used excavators or picked gingerly through debris. With thousands of buildings destroyed, it was not clear how many people might still be in the rubble.

Teams from more than two dozen countries have joined tens of thousands of local emergency personnel in the effort. But the scale of destruction from the quake and its powerful aftershocks was so immense and spread over such a wide area that many people were still awaiting help.

Photo: 11-year-old rescued from rubble some 60 hours after quake

Rescue workers tend to Ahmet Findik, an 11-year-old survivor, at the site of a collapsed building 60 hours on from the earthquake on February 8, 2023 in Hatay, Turkey.
Rescue workers tend to Ahmet Findik, 11, after he was rescued from a collapsed building Wednesday, some 60 hours after the earthquake in Hatay, Turkey. Burak Kara / Getty Images

Aid worker describes scenes of destruction after one day in Turkey

Okke Bouwman from Save the Children’s Syria Response Office was met with the sight of crumbled buildings and masses of people huddled around open fires at nearly every corner when he arrived on the frozen streets of Gaziantep, Turkey, on Tuesday night.

The air, he said, was thick with smoke and the scenes of destruction were “painful to watch.” 

“We saw a bunch of people building their own improvised shelters next to collapsed buildings,” he said. “People are going back into buildings to find food and fuel for the fires, which is very risky given the status of the buildings.”

The airport when they arrived as well as the roads leading to it from cities and towns affected by the earthquake were full of people fleeing untenable living situations, Bouwman said. But many are unable to leave and are doing their best to “get through these most difficult first days, and what I suspect will be weeks and months.”

Earthquakes jolt Turkiye's provinces
Search and rescue efforts continue Wednesday in Gaziantep, Turkey. Basir Gulum / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Road conditions to the site of the deadly tremor have been difficult to traverse because of winter weather, he added, but the roads have also been full of rescue workers attempting to bring help while contending with difficult logistics and numerous aid bottlenecks that are building up.

Bouwman, who has been working in Syria in recent months, said the situation there is even murkier and will need to be watched closely.

“We’re not seeing the entire scope of the impact in Syria yet,” he said, noting the 12 years of war in the country. “Access there is much more limited or we’re not seeing the amount of images and videos that we are seeing coming out of Turkey.”

U.S. Department of Defense says it transported two search and rescue teams that arrived Wednesday

The United States Department of Defense said Wednesday that two civilian urban search and rescue teams it transported from the U.S. have arrived in Turkey. The teams arrived on Wednesday and soon will begin aiding in the relief efforts, the department said at a news briefing. 

The department also said that United States European Command is deploying a team to an air base in Turkey that is expected to be in place on Thursday.

The death toll rises to 12,049

The death toll in Turkey and Syria has risen to more than 12,000 people.

In Turkey, at least 9,057 have died, according to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Another 52,979 are injured, according to the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, and 8,000 people have been rescued from the rubble alive. 

In Syria, at least 2,992 people total have died, which includes at least 1,262 in government-held areas and at least 1,730 in rebel-held territories. More than 22,000 people are injured in government-held areas, according to the Syrian Health Ministry, and more than 2,800 are injured in rebel-held territories, according to the White Helmets.

A woman mourns at the body of her niece outside the Elbistan State Hospital in Kahramanmaras, southeastern Turkey, on Feb. 8, 2023.
A woman mourns over the body of her niece Wednesday outside the Elbistan State Hospital in Kahramanmaras, southeastern Turkey. Sedat Suna / EPA

WHO says flights with medical supplies are on the way to Turkey

The World Health Organization said Wednesday that a flight carrying medical supplies and surgical trauma kits is headed to Istanbul, and others are set to depart or are being planned.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a news conference Wednesday that in addition to the flight en route to Istanbul, a flight to Damascus is almost ready for departure and another flight to Damascus is being planned.

The agency said it was sending a high-level delegation to coordinate its response and emergency medical teams were deployed to both countries.

Erdogan vows to remove debris and rebuild all homes within a year

Associated Press

Turkey’s president is vowing to have all debris removed and homes rebuilt within a year in the 10 provinces of his country most affected by this week’s deadly 7.8-magnitude earthquake.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made the pledge Wednesday in Hatay province, which has so far recorded 3,356 of Turkey’s more than 9,000 earthquake-related deaths. Officials in Syria have reported more than 2,600 deaths from Monday’s quake, taking the overall death toll to over 11,700 as of Wednesday afternoon.

Erdogan acknowledged “shortcomings” in the government’s response to the earthquake, adding that weather had hampered the search and rescue operation. He said that “it’s not possible” to prepare for a disaster of such a scale and that his government “will not leave any of our citizens uncared for.”

Survivors in Hatay province have said authorities and rescue teams arrived too late to save their loved ones. The rescue efforts, which were complicated by the destruction of Hatay airport’s runway, picked up Tuesday.

Erdogan hit back at his critics, calling them “dishonorable people” who spread “lies and slanders” without bearing witness to the rescue work of police officers and soldiers.

Destroyed buildings in Hatay, Turkey, on Feb. 7, 2023.
Destroyed buildings Tuesday in Hatay, Turkey. Ibrahim Oner / Sipa USA via AP

First group of Ukrainian rescuers have arrived in Turkey, officials say

Julianne McShane and Artem Grudinin

The first group of Ukrainian rescuers have arrived in Turkey, and a second group is on the way, according to a message the State Emergency Service of Ukraine posted on the messaging app Telegram.

The first group, which arrived at the Gaziantep Oğuzeli International Airport, includes rescuers, firefighters, medics and "specialist canine units," according to the agency.

In total, 87 personnel, 18 units of equipment and 10 search and rescue dogs from Ukraine will eventually be on the ground in Turkey.

The groups will have "Starlink satellite terminals, drones, and all the necessary equipment for performing tasks at the site of the search and rescue operation," the agency said.

U.K. sending additional $9.6 million worth of support, Foreign Office says

Julianne McShane

The British government announced Wednesday it will send 8 million pounds ($9.6 million) worth of additional support to Turkey and Syria, including tents, blankets and hygiene kits for up to 15,000 people, and medics who can perform surgeries, along with equipment to provide "vital emergency treatment."

The announcement comes after the government has already sent a search and rescue team of 77 personnel, equipment and four search dogs to assist with finding survivors. That team arrived Tuesday in Gaziantep, in southern Turkey, not far from the border of Syria, according to information provided by the British Foreign Office.

“Our priority is to ensure life saving assistance is given to those most in need, coordinated with the Turkish government, U.N. and international partners,” Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in a statement.

Death toll rises to 11,719

Julianne McShane

The death toll has risen to 11,719.

In Turkey, at least 9,057 have died, according to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Another 40,910 are injured, according to the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, and 8,000 people have been rescued from the rubble alive.

In Syria, at least 2,662 people total have died, which includes at least 1,262 in government-held areas and at least 1,400 in rebel-held territories. More than 22,000 people are injured in government-held areas, according to the Syrian Health Ministry, and more than 2,700 are injured in rebel-held territories, according to the White Helmets.

Russian rescue workers retrieve a body from the rubble of a collapsed building in the regime-controlled town of Jableh in Syria's Latakia province on Feb. 8, 2023.
Russian rescue workers retrieve a body Wednesday from the rubble of a collapsed building in the government-held town of Jableh in Syria's Latakia province.AFP - Getty Images

Officials looking into reports of children being separated from their families

Julianne McShane

Officials are looking into reports of children being separated from their families in the wake of the devastating earthquakes, a U.N. representative confirmed at a news conference Wednesday.

"Of course this is a priority, the protection issues are priorities, the women and the children are priorities. The humanitarian agencies, they're busy with the search and rescue, but there are other specialized agencies — NGOs ... who are looking," the regional humanitarian coordinator for the Syria crisis, Muhannad Hadi, said in response to a reporter's question about the possible separations.

"It's difficult, it's hard, it's challenging, it's a lifesaving situation there. As you can see, people are fighting with time to save lives of people," he continued.

"If there are children who are separated from families, we are also working on that, we are trying to prevent these things from happening," added El-Mostafa Benlamlih, the resident coordinator and humanitarian coordinator ad interim for Syria.

Unidentified earthquake victims will be buried within five days

Associated Press

Turkey’s disaster management agency says earthquake victims who cannot be identified will be buried within five days. That’s in line with Islamic funeral rites which require that the burial take place as quickly as possible.

The AFAD agency said Wednesday the unidentified victims would be interred after undergoing DNA tests, fingerprinting and being photographed for future identification.

A man prays in front of a collapsed building on Feb. 8, 2023 in Hatay, Turkey.
A man prays in front of a collapsed building Wednesday in Hatay, Turkey.Burak Kara / Getty Images

Turkish leader acknowledges problems with relief effort

Reuters

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday admitted to problems with his government’s initial response to a devastating earthquake in southern Turkey amid anger from those left destitute and frustrated over the slow arrival of rescue teams.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tours the site of destroyed buildings during his visit to the city of Kahramanmaras in southeast Turkey on Feb. 8, 2023.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tours the site of destroyed buildings Wednesday during his visit to the city of Kahramanmaras. Adem Altan / AFP - Getty Images

Erdogan, who contests an election in May, said on a visit to the disaster zone that operations were now working normally and promised no one would be left homeless, as the combined death toll across Turkey and neighboring Syria climbed above 11,000.

“Where are the tents, where are food trucks?” said Melek, 64, in Antakya, adding she had not seen any rescue teams. “We survived the earthquake, but we will die here due to hunger or cold here.”

U.N. releases $25M from emergency fund for humanitarian response

The Associated Press

The United Nations says it’s “exploring all avenues” to get supplies to rebel-held northwestern Syria, and it released $25 million from its emergency fund to help kick-start the humanitarian response in Turkey and Syria.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the road leading to the Bab al-Hawa border crossing from Turkey to northern Syria was damaged, temporarily disrupting aid delivery to the rebel-held northwest. He said the border crossing itself “is actually intact.” Bab al-Hawa is the only crossing through which U.N. aid is allowed into the area.

Dujarric said the U.N. is preparing a convoy to cross the conflict lines within Syria. But that would likely require a new agreement with President Bashar al-Assad’s government, which has laid siege to rebel-held areas throughout the civil war.

In Turkey, Dujarric said, Syrian refugees make up more than 1.7 million of the 15 million people inhabiting the 10 provinces impacted by the earthquake.

Photo: Injured Syrian man recovers in a makeshift shelter

A Syrian man who was injured and left homeless in the deadly earthquake sits with a child in a makeshift shelter in the Deir Ballut camp in Aleppo province Wednesday.

Rami Al Sayed / AFP - Getty Images

UNICEF official: 'We haven't slept for several days'

Julianne McShane

A UNICEF office in southern Turkey is being used as an emergency shelter to to house 120 people, the organization's senior emergency adviser in Syria said on NBC News NOW on Wednesday.

"We haven’t slept for several days," said Melinda Young, adding that there are also four cats at the shelter in Gaziantep, just over the border from Syria.

Young, who is also working from the office to coordinate the organization’s emergency response in northern Syria, said the facility is in a "safer structure" but that "nothing is entirely safe," pointing to the fact that there have been more than 200 aftershocks since the earthquake.

She said she was in a 10th floor hotel room in Gaziantep when the earthquake struck.

"It was just terrifying," she said. "I've worked in disasters for the last 20 years, but the magnitude and the force of that quake and how long it was — people were screaming in the corridors, just grabbing kids outside of hotel rooms, family dragging them down those 10 floors in order to get outside as fast as possible."




Photo: President Erdogan visits earthquake victims

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan comforts survivors as he visits a tent camp in Kahramanmaras on Wednesday.

Image: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visits Kahranmaras city following a major earthquake
Murat Cetinmuhuradar / EPA via Shutterstock

Death toll rises past 11,200

At least 11,236 people have died in the wake of Monday's earthquake, according to the latest figures, officials said Wednesday.

In Turkey, at least 8,574 have died and 40,910 have been injured, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday as he visited areas affected by the earthquake and its aftershocks. At least 8,000 people have been rescued from the rubble alive, according to the the country's disaster and emergency management office. 

In Syria, at least 1,262 deaths and 22,085 injuries were recorded in government-held areas, according to the Ministry of Health. In rebel-held territories, at least 1,400 people have died and more than 2,700 injured, according to the volunteer rescue organization White Helmets.

Photo: Devastated women embrace in Kahramanmaras

Women cry out at the site of a collapsed building in the aftermath of a major earthquake in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, on Wednesday.

Image: People affected by a major earthquake react at the site of collapsed buildings in Elbistan district of Kahramanmaras
Sedat Suna / EPA via Shutterstock

German Chancellor Scholz: 'We have to move closer together and support each other'

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he and other officials were "shocked by the [news about] the deceased and injured" in Turkey and Syria.

Speaking ahead of a speech in his country's Parliament, the German leader stressed it was important to ensure Syria has adequate support.

“In catastrophes like this, we have to move closer together and support each other,” Scholz said, praising the cooperation between Greece and Turkey in the past days. 

Photo: A man cries during search for survivors in Turkey

A distraught man is comforted at the site of a collapsed building in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, on Wednesday.

Image: People affected by a major earthquake react at the site of collapsed buildings in Elbistan district of Kahramanmaras
Sedat Suna / EPA via Shutterstock

Death toll soars past 11,000 as Erdogan visits earthquake zone

The death toll has now soared past 11,000 after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a rise in the number of dead in his country Wednesday.

Speaking from the earthquake zone, Erdogan said at least 8,574 people were dead in Turkey following Monday's devastation. The number brings the combined death toll across Turkey and Syria to at least 11,116.

At least 40,910 people had been injured in Turkey, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority.

In Syria, the Ministry of Health had earlier reported at least 1,262 deaths and 2,285 injuries in government-held areas. At least 1,280 deaths and more than 2,600 injuries were recorded in rebel-held areas, according to the White Helmets.

Photo: USAID search and rescue crews arrive in Turkey

USAID search and rescue experts land in Turkey on Wednesday to assist emergency crews in responding to the devastating earthquakes in the region.

@USAIDSavesLives

Earthquake devastation becomes deadliest in over a decade

Annie Hill

As the death toll surged Wednesday, the earthquake that rocked Turkey and Syria has become the deadliest in over a decade.

In 2015, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake rocked Nepal and killed more than 8,800 people, according to the United Nations. 

The deadliest earthquake prior to Monday’s was Japan’s 9.0- magnitude temblor in 2011, according to the U.N.

That quake triggered a devastating tsunami and a nuclear disaster, with more than 20,000 people estimated to have died in the triple catastrophe

Civil war and shattered roads slow aid to quake-hit Syria

Aina J. Khan and Lawahez Jabari

The desperate race to save people trapped under the rubble in northern Syria poses unique challenges that aid groups and local volunteers warn could spell deadly delays in help reaching the war-ravaged and earthquake-stricken pocket of the country.

Abdulkafi Alhamdo, a resident of Darat Izza in the northwest, described hearing voices under collapsed buildings as rescuers toiled in freezing conditions with little to no heavy machinery.

“We were hearing screams and messages,” he said in an interview with NBC News Now. “We couldn’t do anything,” he added, describing how he and other volunteers removed rubble with their bare hands. 

“I couldn’t sleep at night, because they were still in my ears,” Alhamdo said. 

Read the full story.

Death toll climbs past 9,650

The death toll from Monday's earthquakes has climbed past 9,638 and is expected to continue to rise, according to officials.

In Turkey, at least 7,108 people were dead and 40,910 injured as of early Wednesday, according to Turkey’s Disaster Management Authority. At least 8,000 people have been rescued from the rubble alive, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday.

In Syria, the Ministry of Health reported at least 1,262 deaths and 2,285 injuries in government-held areas. At least 1,280 deaths and more than 2,600 injuries were recorded in rebel-held areas, according to the White Helmets.

China pledges aid to Syria as rescue teams arrive in Turkey

Isaac Lee

China said Wednesday that it would provide 30 million yuan ($4.4 million) in emergency aid to Syria, as an 82-member Chinese rescue team arrived in Turkey.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a daily briefing that $2 million of the Syrian aid would be used for cash and urgently needed relief supplies.

Earlier, China pledged 40 million yuan ($5.9 million) as its first tranche of emergency aid to Turkey, with its Red Cross providing Turkey and Syria an additional $200,000 each.

The rescue team arrived early Wednesday with rescue equipment and four search and rescue dogs, the Chinese Embassy in Turkey said in a statement. It was sent at the request of the Turkish government, it added.

Civilian rescue teams from Chinese nonprofit organizations have also been dispatched, according to Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency.

A 59-member search and rescue team sent by the government of Hong Kong, a Chinese territory, also left for Turkey on Wednesday night local time. The team is bringing 8 tons of equipment, the government said in a statement, including life detectors and masonry-cutting machines.

Tents fill sports stadium in Turkish city

A tent city has been set up at a sports stadium in Kahramanmaras to house residents displaced by Monday’s earthquakes.

The tents were set up by Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority.

Earthquakes jolt Turkiye's provinces
Mehmet Ali Ozcan / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Photo: Bodies line the floor in front of Turkish hospital

Bodies of earthquake victims are laid in front of a hospital in Hatay, Turkey, on Wednesday, some covered with blankets as the country suffers a shortage of body bags.

Body bags after the earthquake, Türkiye
DIA Images / via Getty

Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers sending aid to Turkey and Syria

Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers say they are sending about $165,000 in earthquake aid to Turkey and Syria “on the basis of shared humanity and Islamic brotherhood.”

Turkey will receive about $110,000, while $55,000 will go to Syria, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement late Tuesday.

It said Afghanistan’s emergency response and health teams were also prepared to assist if needed.

Afghanistan is facing its own economic and humanitarian crisis, with the United Nations warning of record-high malnutrition rates and scores of people being killed by wintry weather. The Taliban, who regained power in August 2021 amid the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces, have drawn international condemnation over their restrictions on women’s rights and their government has yet to be formally recognized by any foreign capital.

How to help earthquake survivors

Julianne McShane

As many as 23 million people, including around 1.4 million children, are likely to have been impacted by the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, according to the World Health Organization.

For those who want to help survivors of the disaster, there are several international humanitarian organizations seeking donations to fund their aid efforts.

Here's how you can help.

Turkey's stock exchange suspends trading for the first time in 24 years

Annie Hill and Reuters

Turkey's stock exchange has suspended trading after the country's benchmark trading index dropped dramatically Wednesday.

The Borsa Istanbul suspended trading after two marketwide circuit beakers failed to stop a slip in the main index, which dipped 7% after markets opened.

"Trading in Equity Market and Single Stock & Index Futures and Options Contracts in the Derivatives Market has been suspended," the exchange said in a statement, according to Reuters.

This is the first time the exchange has been suspended in 24 years, according to Bloomberg.

It was not immediately clear when trading would resume. 

Kim Jong Un offers condolences to Syria

Kamakshi Gupta

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a message of condolence Wednesday to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

According to North Korean state media, Kim said he was confident that under Assad’s leadership, “the government and people of the Syrian Arab Republic will eradicate the aftermath of the earthquake damage as soon as possible and stabilize the living conditions of the people in the afflicted areas.”

Syria is one of the few countries to maintain friendly relations with North Korea amid international sanctions over Kim’s nuclear and missile programs.

There have been no reports of Kim sending a similar message to Turkey, where the damage from the earthquake was greater.

Death toll rises to 9,200

The death has risen to at least 9,200 people, according to officials.

In Turkey, at least 7,108 people are dead and 40,910 injured, according to the country’s Disaster Management Authority.

In Syria, at least 812 people were dead and 1,832 injured, according to the Ministry of Health. In Syrian rebel-held territories, at least 1,280 deaths were recorded, with more than 2,600 injured, according to the White Helmets, a volunteer rescue force.

Photos: Boy trapped for 52 hours reunited with his mom in Turkey

Max Butterworth

Yigit Cakmak, 8-year-old survivor at the site of a collapsed building 52 hours after an earthquake struck, on February 08, 2023 in Hatay, Turkey. A 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit near Gaziantep, Turkey, in the early hours of Monday, followed by another 7.5-magnitude tremor just after midday.
Burak Kara / Getty Images
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit near Gaziantep, Turkey, in the early hours of Monday, followed by another 7.5-magnitude tremor just after midday. The quakes caused widespread destruction in southern Turkey and northern Syria and were felt in nearby countries. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)
Burak Kara / Getty Images

Rescue workers carry 8-year-old Yigit Cakma to be reunited with his mother Wednesday, 52 hours after the earthquake struck in Hatay, Turkey.

A 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit near Gaziantep, Turkey early Monday, followed by another 7.5-magnitude tremor just after midday. The quakes caused widespread destruction in southern Turkey and northern Syria and were felt in nearby countries.
Burak Kara / Getty Images
Yigit Cakmak, an eight year old survivor at the site of a collapsed building, hugs his mother, after workers rescued him 52 hours after the earthquake struck, on February 08, 2023 in Hatay, Turkey.
Burak Kara / Getty Images

Erdogan to visit areas impacted by earthquakes

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit the areas hit the hardest by Monday’s 7.8- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes.

He is expected to visit the provinces of Adana, Kahramanmaras and Malatya initially. He may also visit other areas.

It was not immediately clear when Erdogan was expected to make the trip.

Photo: People wait for news of trapped loved ones in Turkey

People wait for news of their loved ones, believed to be trapped under collapsed buildings Tuesday in Hatay, Turkey.

A 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit near Gaziantep, Turkey, in the early hours of Monday, followed by another 7.5-magnitude tremor just after midday. The quakes caused widespread destruction in southern Turkey and northern Syria and were felt in nearby countries.
Burak Kara / Getty Images

Death toll soars past 9,000

Desperate search and rescue efforts are still underway in Turkey and Syria as the death toll from Monday's earthquakes soared past 9,000.

At least 9,049 people were dead as of early Wednesday, according to officials.

In Turkey, at least 6,957 people are dead and 22,168 injured, according to the country's Disaster Management Authority.

In Syria, at least 812 people were dead and 1,832 injured, according to the Ministry of Health. In Syrian rebel-held territories, at least 1,280 deaths were recorded, with more than 2,600 injured, according to the White Helmets, a volunteer rescue force.