The World Health Organization said Tuesday it expects and fears the worst The death toll from the devastating earthquake in central Turkey and northern Syria “eight times higher than the first numbers” published.
The latest official outcome showed about 24 hours after the first tremors, measuring 7.8 degrees. more than 5,000 people killed, The death toll continued to rise on both sides of the border as searches progressed.
Toll far above expectations?
In Turkey alone, the authorities counted the collapse of about five thousand buildings, while the wounded trapped among the rubble face the risk of hypothermia due to the freezing cold.
Concerned about areas from which information has not yet been received
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organization was particularly concerned about areas from which no information had been received since the earthquake. “We are particularly concerned about areas from which we have not yet received information … (visualization of) damage is one way of deducing where we need to focus our attention,” he told the organization’s executive board meeting in Geneva.
In turn, Adelheid Marchang, an official at the Health Organization, said that the number of affected people may reach “23 million, including about five million in a vulnerable situation.”
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Wide international solidarity with the earthquake victims
At least 185 aftershocks were recorded following the first two earthquakes, which had a magnitude of 7.8 during the night, and the other with a magnitude of 7.5 at noon, centered in northeastern Turkey.
Aftershocks also occurred during the past night and before dawn on Tuesday, the strongest of which was 5.5 degrees at 09:13 local time (03:13 GMT) at a distance of nine kilometers southeast of Golbasi in southern Turkey.
International aid is reaching the affected areas with first aid teams from France and Qatar
Amidst these disastrous data, it will begin international aid Arriving to the affected areas on Tuesday with paramedic teams from France and Qatar in particular. The French relief teams intend to go especially to Kahramanmaraş (Turkey), the epicenter of the first earthquake, which is a rugged area that was severely damaged and covered with snow.
For more- What are the causes of the devastating earthquake?
Two American units, each with 79 medics, headed to Turkey, according to the White House. In turn, China announced on Tuesday that it would send $5.9 million in aid, including specialized urban aid workers, medical teams and emergency equipment.
The Turkish president said 45 countries had offered his help.
Will Syria suffice with the aid of its ally Russia?
On the other hand, in Syria, it responded especially to the call of the Damascus authorities, its ally Russia, which promised to send relief teams “in the coming hours,” at a time when the army confirmed that more than 300 Russian soldiers were deployed in the earthquake-hit area to assist in rescue operations.
The United Nations also took action, but stressed that the aid that would be provided should go “to all Syrians on the entire territory” of Syria, some of which is outside government control.
In these areas controlled by the opposition factions and on the border with Turkey in northwestern Syria, no less than 700 people were killed.
France 24/AFP