Death Toll from Syria-Turkey Earthquake Reaches 36,000, with 5.3 Million People Left Homeless

On Monday, the death toll from a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey surpassed 25,000, with the combined death toll nearing 36,000 in both countries. The earthquake occurred in an area already ravaged by civil war since 2011, with 4 million people already reliant on humanitarian aid in the worst-affected parts of rebel-controlled country.

Security risks have put a handful of search and rescue operations on hold, as 5.3 million people in the region are left homeless, grief-stricken, and in many cases, injured. Rescue efforts in the rebel-controlled areas in north and northwest Syria have ended, according to volunteer organization Syria Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets.

Despite the difficulties, rescuers have managed to pull a 60-year-old woman from the rubble in the town of Besni, in Adiyaman province, and a 40-year-old woman from the wreckage of a 5-story building in the town of Islahiye, in Gaziantep province. The most remarkable rescue occurred in the town of Islahiye, where a woman was pulled from the rubble after spending 170 hours beneath it by a mixed crew that included members of Turkey’s coalmine rescue team.

The situation in Syria and Turkey remains dire, as the death toll continues to rise and many survivors are left without homes or resources. International aid organizations are working to provide assistance to those affected by the earthquake, and are calling for donations to help support their efforts.