Officials and doctors said 40,642 people have died in Turkey, while in Syria the death toll, which has been stable for several days, is 3,688, bringing the confirmed total to 44,330 killed in the disaster.
More than 44,000 people have died after the earthquake that devastated southeastern Turkey and northern Syria 13 days ago, according to a new report from the authorities announced on Saturday, while two buried people were saved.
Officials and doctors said 40,642 people died in Turkey, while in Syria the death toll, which has been stable for several days, is 3,688, bringing the confirmed total to 44,330 killed in the disaster.
Almost 300 hours after this earthquake of magnitude 7.8 which occurred on February 6, the chances of finding survivors are dwindling day by day. It is the region’s deadliest natural disaster in centuries.
This Saturday, a man and a woman were found after spending 296 hours trapped in rubble in Antakya, state news agency Anadolu reported, which broadcast footage of their rescue.
On the other hand, a 12-year-old child found at their side died a few minutes after efforts were made to save him, according to the agency. According to the latter, three of the couple’s children, including the 12-year-old, died in the earthquake.
Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca released a video of the 40-year-old woman in a field hospital while receiving treatment. “She’s conscious,” he tweeted.
New French aid
France has once again mobilized to bring aid to the affected populations with a plane chartered by the Crisis and Support Center of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs leaving today for Gaziantep with 40 on board tons of material.
This includes emergency shelters, with in particular 600 family tents financed by the Crisis and Support Center providing accommodation for nearly 3,000 people, 48 heaters, 20 generators, cables and electrical connection equipment donated by Electriciens sans frontiers and its partners, medicines to treat up to 15,000 patients donated by the Tulipe association, and more than 6 tons of powdered infant milk donated by the LACTALIS Group.
Initial funding of 12 million euros had been set up for the benefit of the United Nations and NGOs working in the areas affected by the earthquakes in northern Syria.
Lax building standards
The earthquake, which occurred in one of the most active seismic zones in the world, hit inhabited areas where buildings were unable to withstand such powerful tremors.
The drama puts Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan under great pressure due to slow rescues and construction deficiencies.
In 1999, following an earthquake that killed more than 17,000 people in northwestern Turkey, authorities promised that building regulations would be tightened.
In vain. The building where footballer Atsu died, a 12-story luxury building, was built in 2013 when Turkey had stricter building standards.
Turkish police have since arrested the building contractor as he tried to flee the country, Anadolu reported last week.
Police have also arrested dozens of contractors as the government vows to crack down on lax building standards.
More than 84,000 buildings have collapsed, are in urgent need of demolition or were badly damaged in the quake, Turkish Environment Minister Murat Kurum said on Friday.
