Latest on quakes that hit beleaguered region
- The death toll from Monday's devastating earthquakes has soared past 5,100 and is expected to rise further.
- Desperate rescue efforts continue in the rubble of southern Turkey and northern Syria, hampered by aftershocks and frigid conditions.
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in affected areas.
- Countries around the world, including the U.S., are sending search and rescue teams to the region.
- The quakes have brought new devastation to an area of Syria already blighted by years of civil war.
15m ago / 2:39 PM EET
Photo: Syrian women weep over bodies of earthquake victims
Syrian women mourn next to bodies lying on the back of a truck on Tuesday in the town of Jandaris, as a search operation continues following a deadly earthquake.
Israeli response team lands in Turkey
An Israeli response team arrived in Turkey on Tuesday, launching search and rescue operations in the country.
The team consists of almost 150 personnel, who will be aiding in rescue and medical operations as well as delivery of aid, the Israeli defense forces said in a tweet on Monday.
Death toll rises to 5,151 as thousands rescued
Chantal Da Silva
The death toll has risen to at least 5,151 people, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announcing more deaths in affected areas across Turkey.
At least 3,549 people have now been confirmed dead in the country since Monday's earthquakes, with at least 22,168 people injured, Erdogan said Tuesday. At least 8,000 people have been rescued from the rubble alive, he said in a speech.
In Syria, at least 812 people were dead, with at least 1,449 injured, according to the Ministry of Health. In Syrian rebel-held territories, more than 790 people were killed and more than 2,200 injured, according to the White Helmets.
Iranian aircraft carrying critical humanitarian aid arrives in Syria
Mithil Aggarwal and Lawahez Jabari
An Iranian aircraft carrying tons of emergency aid arrived in Damascus, Syria on Tuesday.
"This plane carries the first batches of humanitarian aid provided by the Islamic Republic of Iran, with 45 tons of humanitarian aid on board," said Iranian ambassador to Damascus Mahdi Sobhani, according to the state news agency SANA.
The supplies included blankets, tents, medicines, food items, and other critical supplies, he said.
U.N. aid to Syria hampered by earthquake damage, logistical issues
Mithil Aggarwal and Reuters
The supply of critical United Nations cross-border aid from Turkey to northwest Syria has been temporarily halted due to logistical issues, the U.N. said Tuesday.
“Some roads are broken, some are inaccessible. There are logistical issues that need to be worked through,” Madevi Sun-Suon, spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance, told Reuters.
“We don’t have a clear picture of when it will resume,” she said.