Turkey-Syria earthquake: rescue efforts move slowly as death toll passes 5,000
- Rescuers in Turkey and Syria dig for survivors buried by earthquakes that have killed thousands
- Countries around the world have offered aid, while Turkey imposed a state of emergency in 10 provinces for three months
Rescuers struggled to dig people out of the rubble of collapsed buildings on Tuesday in a “race against time” as the death toll from an earthquake across a wide area of Turkey and Syria passed 5,000.
The magnitude 7.8 quake hit Turkey and neighbouring Syria early on Monday, toppling thousands of buildings including many residential blocks, wrecking hospitals, and leaving thousands of people injured or homeless.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan declared as a disaster zone in 10 provinces, imposing a state of emergency in the region for three months. This will permit the president and cabinet to bypass parliament in enacting new laws and to limit or suspend rights and freedoms.
The government planned to open up hotels in the tourism hub of Antalya, to the west, to temporarily house people impacted by the quakes, Erdogan said.
A UN official said thousands of children may be among the dead.
Harsh winter weather hampered search efforts and the delivery of aid and made the plight of the homeless even more miserable. Some areas were without fuel and electricity.
Aid officials voiced particular concern about the situation in Syria, already afflicted by a humanitarian crisis after nearly 12 years of civil war.