Live updates: Rescuers intensify searches as toll soars in Türkiye, Syria

Saturday, February 11, 2023

Massive rescue operations have continued in Türkiye's southeastern provinces and in northern Syria as the combined death toll from Monday's twin quakes reached 28,170.

In Türkiye, the death toll soared to 24,617 with more than 80,000 others injured.

The overall death toll in Syria stood at 3,553 on Saturday, though the 1,387 deaths reported for regime-held parts of the country hasn't been updated in days.

Here is how you can help the earthquake victims.

Following are the latest updates:

0100 GMT — 'You're a miracle': Remarkable rescues 140 hours after quakes

Rescuers have pulled a seven-month-old baby, a 13-year-old girl, and a 27-year-old man more than 140 hours after two back-to-back earthquakes devastated parts of Türkiye and Syria leaving more than 28,000 dead.

Tens of thousands of rescue workers were still scouring through flattened neighbourhoods late on Saturday despite freezing weather that has deepened the misery of millions now in desperate need of aid.

In the midst of destruction and despair, miraculous tales of survival continue to emerge.

Hamza, a seven-month-old baby, was believed to be dead when rescuers reached the spot deep under the rubble where the baby was stuck, motionless, in southern Hatay province. 

"Did you see the baby?" a rescuers tell his co-worker who replies "the baby is not alive, let me check". Dramatic footage of the rescue was aired by state broadcaster TRT Haber.

Moments later the baby was pulled alive from the debris of the toppled building, more than 140 hours after earthquakes.

Rescuers cheered and chanted, "Allah is Great!" as 27-year-old Muhammed was pulled alive from rubble of a flattened building in southern Kahramanmaras province, the epicentre of Monday's powerful tremor. The man was rescued after 140 hours of quakes. During the rescue he recited verses of Holy Quran, according to a TRT Haber video.

Full story here:

2130 GMT — Death toll soars in Türkiye 

More people have been pulled out of the rubble of collapsed buildings as rescue teams from around the world race against time to save lives in the wake of Monday's powerful earthquakes in southern Türkiye that have left 24,617 people dead. 

Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay gave a new death toll late on Saturday and also said role of 131 suspects related to buildings collapsed in earthquakes has been determined.

He said one person has been arrested and detention orders for 113 have been announced.

'Let's return to the rubble': Race to identify quake victims in Türkiye

Tuba Yolcu is desperate for news of her missing aunt and scours a sports hall where victims of a powerful earthquake that hit her hometown in Türkiye lie in body bags.

"We hear [the authorities] will no longer keep the bodies waiting after a certain period of time, they say they will take them and bury them," she said.

"God willing we will find her," Yolcu said, with worry etched on her face.

Monday's powerful tremor struck Kahramanmaras in the country's southeast, unleashing catastrophe in the region and Syria, killing at least 28,000 people.

Anguished families flock to sports halls, hospital morgues or cemeteries in the severely hit city — where bodies are piling up — in a bid to find their missing relatives.

Full story here

2000 GMT — Türkiye firm's 'lifeships' to house 3,000 in quake-hit Hatay province

Türkiye's Karadeniz Holding has said it would send two humanitarian aid ships that can each house 1,500 people to help the relief effort in the southern province of Hatay, hit by major earthquakes that has claimed more than 24,000 lives.

"The company is working with the authorities to send lifeships Suheyla Sultan and Rauf Bey to Iskenderun-Hatay, the company said on Saturday, adding this would be its first humanitarian mission.

The ships, built for humanitarian aid missions, have accommodation, fridges, TVs and heating, as well as facilities for education, healthcare and food, the company said.

Full story here: 

1803 GMT — Uganda holds absentee funeral prayers for Türkiye victims

Uganda's grand Mufti on Friday led absentee funeral prayers, known as Salat al Ghaib, for people killed in Türkiye during Monday's twin earthquakes that shook the region.

The prayers held at the National Mosque were attended by the Turkish ambassador to Uganda, Fatih Ak, along with hundreds.

The grand Mufti, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, expressed his deepest condolences for the devastating loss of life and sincere sympathies to the bereaved families and prayed for a speedy recovery of the injured.

"We are deeply saddened by the tragedy, our heartfelt sympathy and sincere prayers for these innocent victims of this devastating natural disaster, to their families, and all those suffering in Türkiye and Syria," he said.

1752 GMT — Turkish naval hospital ship helps earthquake victims

The TCG Bayraktar, the landing craft of the Turkish army, which was converted into a floating hospital after the earthquakes, has been serving those in need in the southern Turkish province where it is anchored.

Health workers on the ship with a capacity of 560 beds deployed by the Turkish army at MMK Metallurgy Port in the Dortyol district of Hatay province which was severely affected by the two earthquakes that hit the region, helped those injured in the quakes.

Welcoming the people of the region who want to be examined as well as the earthquake victims, TCG Bayraktar served 306 people in the first 24 hours after starting its service.

The ship has an operating room and intensive care units.

1656 GMT  — Spanish Marines save young boy from under rubble

Spanish marines who joined the country's rescue efforts in Türkiye on Saturday saved a 7-year-old boy.

The search and rescue efforts had been ongoing since late Friday in Iskenderun where the marines located the boy alive, the Spanish Defense Staff said on Twitter.

Also, a firefighting team including members from the cities of Malaga and Huelva saved three people under the debris in Serinyol, Hatay on Friday, according to the Spanish Embassy in Ankara.

1640 GMT — Death toll in Türkiye reaches over 22,000

The death toll from Monday's powerful earthquakes in southeastern Türkiye has climbed to 22,327, according to the country's health minister. 

1446 GMT — Saudis donate over $66 million for quake victims 

More than 700,000 people have participated in a donation campaign in Saudi Arabia that has so far collected over $66.6 million (250 million riyals) for earthquake victims in Türkiye and Syria.

The campaign saw the participation of 709,775 people, according to data released by the Saudi government’s Sahem Platform, which is responsible for the popular campaign for relief of the quake victims in the two countries.

The donation campaign was launched on Wednesday by the King Salman Relief Center, a day after King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman directed the center to operate an air bridge and organise a popular campaign through the Sahem Platform, to support Türkiye and Syria in the wake of the earthquakes.

1434 GMT — UN relief chief says recovery phase is approaching

A recovery phase is approaching in Türkiye's 10 earthquake-devastated provinces which will rely on humanitarian assistance, the UN relief chief has said. 

"We're coming to the end of the rescue phase. And after the rescue phase comes the recovery phase. Typically that relies on humanitarian assistance.

It relies on the beginning of planning for houses and apartments and buildings to be rebuilt," Martin Griffiths, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, told Anadolu in Kahramanmaras, where the two quakes were centered.

1402 GMT — Death toll reaches close to 22,000 in Türkiye

The death toll from Monday's powerful earthquakes in southeastern Türkiye has climbed to 21,848, says President Erdogan in his speech at quake-hit Sanliurfa province. 

1246 GMT — Nineteen-year-old boy rescued in southeastern Türkiye

Gurkan Ozturk was rescued from the debris of a collapsed building in the Antakya district of Hatay province, which was heavily hit by Monday’s massive earthquakes.

The quake survivor was lying on the ambulance bed when he told the medical personnel that “everything collapsed and I thought we are ruined because there are only five months left to the YKS,” referring to the Turkish university entrance exam.

The emergency staff said: “Dear friends, I am announcing that 19-year-old Gurkan, who broke a record for surviving under the rubble, is preparing for the university entrance exam. He seeks support to get test prep books.”

1154 GMT — President Erdogan thanks aiding countries

President Erdogan has expressed gratitude to all 'friendly' countries showing solidarity with the Turkish nation by sending search and rescue teams after massive quake. 

Monday's quakes were three times stronger than the1999 earthquake in Türkiye, the president says during his visit to quake-hit Diyarbakir province.

1144 GMT — Death toll reaches over 21,000 in Türkiye

The death toll from Monday's powerful earthquakes in southeastern Türkiye has climbed to 21,043, says President Erdogan. 

1137 GMT — Pakistani diaspora in US contributes $30M to earthquake victims

Pakistanis living in the US have donated $30 million to the families of those who lost their lives and are injured in the two earthquakes in southeastern Türkiye and northern Syria, the Pakistani prime minister has said. 

"Deeply moved by the example of an anonymous Pakistani who walked into Turkish embassy in the US & donated $30 million for earthquake victims in Türkiye & Syria," Shehbaz Sharif stated on Twitter.

"These are such glorious acts of philanthropy that enable humanity to triumph over the seemingly insurmountable odds," he added.

1102 GMT — UN aid chief says earthquake is region's 'worst event in 100 years

UN aid chief Martin Griffiths described the devastating earthquake that hit southeastern Türkiye and northwestern Syria as the "worst event in 100 years in this region".

Speaking during a news briefing in the Turkish province of Kahramanmaras, Griffiths also lauded Türkiye's response to the disaster as "extraordinary".

He also told Reuters news agency he hoped in Syria aid would go to both government and opposition-held areas, but that things with this regard were "not clear yet".

1056 GMT — Rescue teams find more survivors of devastating quakes 

Rescue teams in Türkiye have pulled five members of a single-family alive from the wreckage of their home, 129 hours after a powerful earthquake struck the region.

Rescuers on Saturday first extricated mother and daughter Havva and Fatmagul Aslan from among a mound of debris in the hard-hit town of Nurdag, in Gaziantep province, local media reported.

The teams later reached the father, Hasan Aslan, but the man insisted that his other daughter, Zeynep, and son Saltik Bugra be saved first, the station said. 

1053 GMT — Swiss rescue team saves 11 people trapped under debris in quake-hit Türkiye 

A Swiss rescue team pulled a 6-month-old baby and her mother out from the rubble of a collapsed building in quake-hit southeastern Türkiye, bringing its rescues to 11 in total.

The rescue of the baby girl and her mother took place in the Hatay province, the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit said on Twitter, sharing a photo of the dramatic rescue of the baby.

"After a total of eleven rescues, the mission of the Swiss rescuers, plus 8 dogs from REDOG, continues," the unit added.

1050 GMT — 2-month-old baby rescued from quake rubble after 128 hours in debris

A two-month-old baby has been rescued miraculously in Hatay 128 hours after two powerful earthquakes hit southeastern Türkiye.

The baby survived the deadly disaster and was immediately taken to the hospital for medical checks.

Hatay is among the cities that were severely affected by the two powerful quakes.

1031 GMT — Türkiye-Armenia border reopens after 30-year hiatus to aid quake zone

The Türkiye-Armenia border reopened for the first time in 35 years to carry humanitarian aid to people affected by Monday’s huge twin earthquakes in southeastern Türkiye.

Five trucks carrying aid from Armenia crossed the border via the Alican border crossing eastern Türkiye’s Igdir province.

Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan shared a video showing aid trucks crossing a bridge to arrive in Türkiye.

0738 GMT — Two women survive for days in earthquake rubble 

Rescuers in Türkiye pulled two women alive from the rubble of collapsed buildings after they were been trapped for 122 hours following the massive quakes, authorities said.

One of the rescued women, Menekse Tabak, 70, was swaddled in a blanket while rescuers carried her to a waiting ambulance in the province of Kahramanmaras.

The other was an injured 55-year-old, identified as Masallah Cicek, who was extricated from the debris of a collapsed building in Diyarbakir, the largest city in southeast Türkiye.

0344 GMT — Turkish Americans hold candlelight vigil to mourn victims of earthquakes

A candlelight vigil was held in Washington, DC to honour the victims of deadly earthquakes in Türkiye.

A group gathered in Lafayette Square next to the White House to mourn the victims of the massive earthquakes that thousands and injured tens of thousands of others. 

The vigil was organised by the American Turkish Association of DC (ATA-DC) and was attended not only by Turkish Americans but Americans who want to show solidarity with those affected by the earthquakes. 

Read full story here

0233 GMT — Children rescued as Türkiye-Syria quakes toll mounts

Rescuers pulled children from the rubble of the Türkiye-Syria earthquake on the sixth day of the devastating earthquakes.

Aftershocks following Monday's 7.7-magnitude tremor have added to the death toll and further upended the lives of survivors.

0232GMT — Cuba to send medics to Türkiye, Syria to assist in earthquake relief

Cuba prepared to send healthcare workers to Türkiye and Syria, joining a growing group of nations providing rescue and medical aid to the region after a devastating earthquake this week.

Cuban authorities in Havana said 32 medics were set to depart for Türkiye. 

Countries around the world have volunteered health care workers and aid to the region the deadliest quake in two decades.