Death toll in Turkey-Syria quake surpasses 41,000

Ankara, Feb 15 (IANS) The combined death toll in Turkey and Syria quake on February 6 has topped 41,000, media reports said.

Over 41,000 people have lost their lives in the devastating quake, of which 1,414 deaths were reported by the Syrian government’s Health Ministry, and 4,400 by the UN humanitarian agency in rebel-held northwestern Syria, The Washington Post reported.

“At least 35,418 people have been killed in the twin quakes and 13,208 injured are still receiving treatment in our hospitals,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying Anadolu News Agency.

Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) said 195,962 people have been evacuated.

Turkey’s Forrign ministry said around 100 countries have offered assistance and a total of 9,046 foreign personnel are working in the disaster zone.

–IANS

svn