Photo A woman records with her phone in a destroyed neighbourhood in Antakya on February 18, 2023 the rubbles from the 7.8-magnitude earthquake which hit the Turkey-Syria border, in the early hours of February 6, followed by another 7.5-magnitude tremor just after midday.
The death toll in the earthquake that devastated Turkey and Syria has surpassed the 46,000 mark, even as rescue operations continue in full swing.
It is estimated that the death toll is expected to soar further in the coming days.
According to authorities, the death toll in Turkey stands at 40,642 while neighbouring Syria has reported more than 5,800 deaths, a figure that has not changed for days.
The February 6 quake has not only claimed thousands of lives but also destroyed 3,45,000 apartments in Turkey alone as the country tries to restore normalcy from its worst modern disaster.
Yunus Sezer, the chief of Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), said the search and rescue efforts would largely be terminated on Sunday night.
The World Food Programme (WFP) is pressuring authorities in the northwest of Turkey to stop blocking access to the area as it seeks to help hundreds of thousands of people ravaged by the earthquakes.
