The earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday killed more than 5,000 people, according to new official reports released on Tuesday, while rescuers are still trying to extract survivors from the rubble.
By AFP
ATAt least 3,419 people were killed in southeastern Turkey and 1,602 in northern Syria, bringing the total death toll to at least 5,021, according to official and medical sources.
The biggest disaster for the country in a century
Ten Turkish provinces and 13.5 million citizens were directly impacted by the earthquakes, Turkish Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum told local media. The latter went Tuesday morning to the city of Gazientep which paid a heavy price for the natural disaster.
He called the double earthquake, which rocked Turkey and Syria on Monday, the biggest disaster for the country in a century when a similar event occurred in 1939. The delivery of relief is complicated because of winter weather conditions and some 285 tremors counted so far.
Tuesday morning, a new earthquake of magnitude 5.7 was recorded by the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC).
Help from Brussels
The City of Brussels is showing solidarity with Turkey, which was hit by several earthquakes on Monday, and is organizing a collection of basic necessities in front of Palace 11 from Tuesday until February 19. The date will be extended if the demand is still as important, indicates the cabinet of the mayor Philippe Close (PS).
Residents of Brussels can come and drop off basic necessities (blankets, nappies, hygienic products, tents), between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., in front of Palais 11, located on avenue de l’Esplanade.
