In pictures: Over 35,000 killed in Turkey-Syria earthquake as rescue phase comes to close

In pictures: Over 35,000 killed in Turkey-Syria earthquake as rescue phase comes to close
A week after a devastating earthquake shook parts of Syria and Turkey, attention is turning away from rescue operations.
1 min read
13 February, 2023

More than 35,000 people have been killed in the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria last week, with aid agencies warning that recovery may take more than a generation.

Reports of rescues are growing scarce as victims struggle to survive extreme thirst and freezing temperatures under the rubble.

The magnitude 7.8 and 7.5 quakes struck nine hours apart in southeastern Turkey and northern Syria on 6 February.

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Relief efforts in affected areas across Syria have been hampered by a civil war that has splintered the country and divided regional and global powers.

However, the rescue phase is "coming to a close" with urgency now switching to shelter, food, schooling and psychosocial care, the UN aid chief said during a visit to Syria on Monday.

It is estimated that as many as 23 million people across Turkey and Syria have been affected by the tragedy.