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Death toll from Turkey-Syria earthquakes reaches 22,000

by News Desk February 10, 2023

The death toll from Monday’s deadly earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria has reached 22,000.

Over 18,800 people have died in Turkey as per local reports and over 3,200 deaths have been reported in bordering Syria. Rescue efforts have been underway since Monday but Turkish President Erdogan has admitted his government’s response to the disaster was slow.

Hundreds of thousands are still buried under the rubble and those who are rescued face a medical crisis as crucial medical supplies are delayed because of several blockages and lack of equipment.

The plight of the victims doesn’t end there as after being rescued they also have to battle the cold freezing weather with only limited warm food in sight.

The situation in Syria is even worse and according to experts and local reports, it is catastrophic as the war-ravaged country has failed in its rescue efforts because of the lack of coordination, a dysfunctional government, and honest use of funds. Volunteer groups in Syria have reported equipment shortages and no fuel to power their vehicles that are sent to the affected zones in north-west Syria.

The World has gathered to help fund Turkey and Syria’s rescue efforts by sending crucial aid. The UN’s first aid convoy to Opposition-held north-west Syria arrived yesterday but drew sharp criticism from volunteer groups who alleged that the supplies won’t even cover 15% of the north-west region, apart from having no quake-related rescue equipment.

A second UN aid convoy that arrived from Turkey to Syria was criticized by Volunteer groups as well over its pace. Since the north-west region of Syria has, Turkish-backed rebels, Jihadists, Kurdish forces, Syrian rebels, and the Syrian government forces, sending aid to the region has many risks that ultimately slow the speed at which the aid is sent, hampering volunteer rescue efforts.

Since no country would trust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his regime – accused of corruption and human rights violations – the plight of the Syrian victims may be heard at a much slower rate as compared to neighboring Turkey and rescue efforts would be affected with aid being spread between multiple volunteer groups, while al-Assad is busy bombing those regions.

Bashar al-Assad has demanded aid be spread through his regime but his demands have so far been rejected as his government bombed the region just hours after the disaster.

Earlier, the Syrian President visited the Aleppo Hospital with his wife, a move criticized by many Syrians who saw it as a PR stunt with no focus on an honest and well coordinated rescue effort.

“President al-Assad said, addressing the doctors and staff working in the hospital: We are proud of the national cadres in all crises, and in the earthquake crisis, we witnessed a lot of heroism, and the doctors who work in the shadows are part of these heroics,” reads the tweet.

Some even accused al-Assad of hampering rescue efforts by putting the focus on himself with millions being spent on him and his security during his ‘unnecessary’ visits while the victims are stuck under the rubble and those rescued are without food and shelter.

Even in this catastrophic incident there are stories of hope as countless people and even newborns are being rescued alive, as reported in Turkey.

However, the hope for finding more survivors is getting grimmer after each passing hour.