Here are the latest developments from Friday, February 10 on the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria:
- In the wake of the earthquakes that hit both Turkey and Syria, the death toll has risen to 23,000.
- As reported by official media, the Syrian government has given the green light for humanitarian aid to be delivered across the country’s front lines amid the ongoing 12-year civil conflict.
- The official death toll in Turkey is 20,213, which is higher than the number of people killed in the country’s devastating earthquake in 1999.
- There have been at least 3,553 confirmed deaths in Syria.
- Under increasing pressure at home, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has admitted that the country’s early response to the earthquakes was inadequate.
- In spite of the long passage of time since the earthquakes, rescuers continue to pull survivors from the wreckage.
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for international assistance and has scheduled a donor conference for the following week.
Anger at the United Nations ahead of a potential aid dispute with Russia over Syria
Russia, a veto-holding ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, does not think it is necessary for the UN to authorise the delivery of earthquake aid to rebel-held northern Syria through more than one Turkish border crossing, a decision that will be discussed next week by the UN Security Council.
There have been more than 23,000 deaths in Turkey and Syria, and some diplomats are frustrated that the 15-member council has been reluctant to act after Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pushed for broader access to northwest Syria via Turkey.
“There is frustration with foot-dragging on this,” a UN official involved with the conversations said on condition of anonymity. The Secretary-General has stated that additional crossings are required. U.N. Security Council action is required.
The death toll in Turkey now stands at 20,213.
The number of people killed in Turkey as a result of the earthquakes on Monday has grown to 20,213, with 77,711 injured, according to the country’s disaster management administration.
Death toll in northwest Syria climbs to more than 2,166
At least 2,166 people were killed in opposition-held northwest Syria by the major earthquake, Syrian White Helmets have said.
The toll in the government-held areas also has risen to 1,387 deaths and 2,326 injured, the state media reported on Thursday citing Syria’s health ministry. This brings the total death toll in Syria to 3,553.
Syria earthquake could leave up to 5.3 million homeless, says UN.
An official with the United Nations has estimated that as many as 5.3 million Syrians have been rendered homeless as a result of last week’s deadly earthquake.
The UN high commissioner for refugees’ envoy in Syria, Sivanka Dhanapala, told a news briefing that “as many as 5.3 million people in Syria may have been left homeless by the earthquake.”
He stated that the United Nations has projected that 5.37 million people in need of shelter assistance across the country as a result of the earthquake.
He described the figure as “massive” and claimed it would affect a population already experiencing “mass displacement.”
This is a crisis within a crisis for Syria. We are in the midst of a severe winter, after having experienced economic shocks, the COVID pandemic, and other harsh conditions.
Syrian official media report that three victims were pulled alive from the wreckage 110 hours after the earthquake.
About 110 hours after a fatal earthquake slammed the region on Monday, official television announced that three persons were rescued from the debris of a building in the Syrian city of Jableh. As Syrian and Lebanese rescue workers removed two people from the wreckage, onlookers cheered and said, “God is awesome!” A female adult and her child were among those saved, according to a rescuer.
A contractor was arrested in Turkey following seismic damage to buildings
According to state media, Turkish police detained a contractor who was attempting to leave the country after the collapse of his building during last week’s devastating earthquake in Turkey. Thousands of structures were destroyed by the earthquake, and the poor quality of housing in Turkey has become a major source of anger.
Anger has been expressed on social media in response to the collapse of Ronesans Residence, a high-rise luxury apartment complex in Antakya city, Hatay province. The year 2013 is significant because, following a devastating earthquake in northwest Turkey in 1999 that claimed the lives of more than 17,000 people, Turkey instituted stricter building restrictions.
According to state news agency Anadolu, officers seized the contractor, Mehmet Yasar Coskun, at Istanbul airport as he attempted to flee to Montenegro.
The United Nations has called for an “immediate truce” in Syria so that relief workers can enter the country to help those affected by the earthquake.
The UN human rights head has demanded an urgent truce in Syria so that aid may be delivered to those affected by the recent earthquake. The UN rights office tweeted, “UN human rights chief Volker Turk appeals for urgent ceasefire in Syria and complete respect for human rights and humanitarian law duties so help may reach everyone.”
At this terrible time in #Türkiye & #Syria, we call for urgent delivery of assistance to ALL in need. UN Human Rights Chief @volker_turk calls for immediate ceasefire in Syria, and full respect of #humanrights & humanitarian law obligations so help can reach everyone. pic.twitter.com/l9MJEQixYg
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) February 10, 2023
