More than 5,000 killed in deadly Turkey–Syria earthquake

By Nathan Morley

The Turkish President has declared the 10 provinces stricken by the devastating earthquakes as a disaster zone after they killed more than 5,000 people and destroyed thousands of buildings.

In a speech carried on state TV, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that 70 countries had offered help in search and rescue operations and that Turkey planned to open hotels in Antalya to temporarily house people affected by devastation.

According to reports, about 13.5 million people were affected by the earthquake over an area spanning 450 km.

This region is currently enduring freezing temperatures, and aftershocks, and damaged roads are hindering efforts to reach and rescue those affected by the quake. Overnight, around 3,000 people sought shelter in unheated train carriages.

Meanwhile, rescuers are rushing to save people trapped under the rubble after thousands of buildings collapsed in both Syria and Turkey.

As the scale of the devastation continues to unfold, the World Health Organization warned the number of casualties could surpass 20,000.

Meanwhile, international aid is being sent to the region from the United Nations, NATO, and the governments of the United Kingdom, India, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, China and Greece, among others.