The death toll from the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit southern Turkey and neighboring Syria has exceeded 5,000 people, as rescuers continue to dig through the rubble of collapsed buildings in search of survivors. The massive quake, one of the largest to strike the quake-prone area in the past century, is raising fears of a new humanitarian crisis in a region strained by years of war, displacement and economic hardship.
Here’s what to know
- Monday’s earthquake was felt in Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and Egypt. It was followed by dozens of aftershocks, including an unusually powerful 7.5-magnitude quake, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
- By Tuesday morning, Turkish authorities reported 3,419 deaths and 20,534 injuries. In government-controlled parts of Syria, 812 people were killed and 1,449 injured, according to state media. And civil defense workers in the rebel-held northwest reported at least 790 deaths and 2,200 injuries.
- People in northwest Syria were already in dire need of humanitarian aid, the United Nations says. Many of the nearly 3.5 million Syrian refugees in Turkey live in areas now devastated by the quake.
5:01 AM: Turkey flies critically injured to capital
Critically injured patients rescued from the wreckage of the quake are being airlifted to the capital, Ankara, said Health Minister Fahrettin Koca. He also shared a video on Twitter of patients on stretchers being taken off planes and moved into ambulances.
More than 4,000 health personnel have been rushed to southern Turkey, he said. Initial medical aid is being administered in tents, after which patients are transferred to hospitals.
By: Niha Masih
4:43 AM: L.A. County Fire Department sends search and rescue team
A search and rescue team from the Los Angeles County Fire Department is deploying to Turkey to aid in recovery efforts following the earthquake.
The team includes 81 personnel, six K9 teams and three structural engineers, the department said in a post on Twitter, which includes photos of team members making preparations and rows of suitcases and crates.
The team will offer aid in Turkey alongside Fairfax County’s Urban Search and Rescue Team. The Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance at USAID, which facilitates disaster relief, wished “safe travels to all those making the journey to help communities devastated by this catastrophe.”
By: Kelsey Ables