Death Toll Surpasses 17,000 After Earthquake in Syria and Turkey; U.N Help Arrives

As the death toll in both Syria and Turkey combined rises to over 17,000 people and rescue workers are frantically seeking out any remaining survivors, a U.N (United Nations) aid convoy arrives on the scene.

Years of war in Syria hinder rescue efforts and damaged delivery routes further slow progress. Turkish politicians have also conveyed their exasperation with the response time to Monday’s earthquakes, and the expectation of unearthing more survivors in the unending debris grow faint.

In Turkey, law enforcement has stated that in the wake of what can be categorized as the world’s deadliest earthquake disaster in over 10 years, a minimum of 14,351 fatalities have been recorded. At least 1,262 persons died in the government-held parts of Syria with 2,285 wounded. In the areas outside of government control (northwest Syria), 2,950 were harmed and over 1,930 dead with the tally expected to increase.

Reports state that at least three United States citizens were among the dead in southeastern Turkey.

Leader of a team of Pakistani rescuers, Mohammed Farhan Khalid, stated, “The situation is very bad, more rescue and relief is required.”

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Social media access was said to be limited for TikTok and Twitter in parts of Turkey and then reinstated after Turkish leaders and Twitter officials met. Ankara, the capital city of Turkey, had previously restricted social media platforms whenever there is any kind of political scandal, disaster or unrest.

Fuat Oktay, Vice President, assigned the social media issues to technical problems.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Turkey, will face an election in the coming months and his response to the current disaster will be the deciding factor that could uproot his 20-year reign. The country’s economical struggle with high inflation has already decreased his likability with voters.

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