Over 17,500 dead in Turkiye-Syria quakes

Hopes were fading Thursday for rescuing survivors of the earthquake in Turkiye and Syria, which has killed over 17,500 people in one of the deadliest tremors in decades

Officials and medics said 14,351 people had died in Turkiye and 3,162 in Syria from Monday’s 7.8-magnitude tremor, bringing the confirmed total to 17,513. Experts fear the number will continue to rise sharply.

Despite the dimming hopes for rescues, thousands of local and foreign searchers have not given up in the hunt for more survivors.

Tens of thousands of people across Turkey and Syria have become homeless after the devastating earthquakes.

Hundreds of buildings have collapsed in the town, close to the epicentre of one of Monday’s deadly earthquakes: among them, a hotel with 40 guests and 20 staff members that is now rubble. None of the 60 people in the hotel has been found

UN Syria mediator Geir Pedersen has appealed to the Syrian government not to obstruct relief supplies for earthquake-affected people in regions outside government control.

“What we need to make sure now is that there are no political hindrances to the aid needed getting to the people that are affected,” he said in Geneva, adding that he spoke with the US and the EU.

The first United Nations aid convoy since a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck on Monday has crossed into northwest Syria from Turkey, the UN has confirmed.

Six trucks on Thursday reached Bab al-Hawa, the only border crossing authorised by the UN Security Council for aid delivery.