WHO expects major rise in death toll after Turkey, Syria earthquake

Record ID: 1710255

  • Title: WHO expects major rise in death toll after Turkey, Syria earthquake
  • Date: 6th February 2023
  • Summary: HAMA, SYRIA (FEBRUARY 6, 2023) (REUTERS) DEAD BODY BEING PULLED OUT FROM UNDER RUBBLE AT SITE OF COLLAPSED BUILDING FOLLOWING MAJOR EARTHQUAKE VARIOUS OF RESCUERS PULLING OUT ANOTHER DEAD BODY COVERED IN BLANKETS AND CARRYING IT AWAY PEOPLE GATHERED AROUND RUBBLE VARIOUS OF BULLDOZERS MOVING RUBBLE CAIRO, EGYPT (FEBRUARY 6, 2023) (ORIGINALLY FILMED IN PORTRAIT) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) REGIONAL EMERGENCY DIRECTOR FOR WHO'S REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN, RICK BRENNAN, SAYING: “The numbers are continuing to change. But, we know that in southern Turkey, over 1,000 people have been reported dead, thousands other injured. Official numbers from northern Syria indicate around 325 people killed, over a thousand injured. In the area of northwest Syria, we understand from health workers there, that over 120 people have been killed.” DIYARBAKIR, TURKEY (FEBRUARY 6, 2023) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF RESCUERS SEARCHING THROUGH RUBBLE CAIRO, EGYPT (FEBRUARY 6, 2023) (ORIGINALLY FILMED IN PORTRAIT) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) REGIONAL EMERGENCY DIRECTOR FOR WHO'S REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN, RICK BRENNAN, SAYING: “I mean, I think we can expect the death toll to increase significantly. There’s been a lot of buildings collapses and it will increase more significantly around the epicentre of the earthquake. Yes, this is our experience with all major earthquakes, the initial death tolls, you know, continue to rise as more assessments are undertaken.” JINDIRES, SYRIA (FEBRUARY 6, 2023) (REUTERS) WHITE HELMETS MEMBERS SEARCHING FOR SURVIVORS DAMAGED BUILDING DAMAGED BUILDING WITH PEOPLE SEARCHING FOR SURVIVORS CAIRO, EGYPT (FEBRUARY 6, 2023) (ORIGINALLY FILMED IN PORTRAIT) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) REGIONAL EMERGENCY DIRECTOR FOR WHO'S REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN, RICK BRENNAN, SAYING: “You know, there has been a significant decline in funding for humanitarian operations right across Syria. And that’s already complicated our humanitarian response. You know, when you think about what’s going on in Syria right now, a long standing humanitarian crisis, still getting over COVID, a huge economic crisis, cholera outbreak, and now this additional crisis, in the context of a harsh winter and major fuel shortages. You know, it’s almost like the perfect storm. And the convergence of all these crises is leading to enormous suffering.” ADANA, TURKEY (FEBRUARY 6, 2023) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF RESCUE DOG AT SITE EMERGENCY WORKER WORKING AT THE SITE OF A DEMOLISHED BUILDING CAIRO, EGYPT (FEBRUARY 6, 2023) (ORIGINALLY FILMED IN PORTRAIT) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) REGIONAL EMERGENCY DIRECTOR FOR WHO'S REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN, RICK BRENNAN, SAYING: “So we have to be very mindful of the aftershocks. And these are large and frequent. So, while we’re pleased to say, most of the health facilities haven’t been severely damage at this point, some of them have sustained a degree of damage and we’re concerned about the structural integrity as more aftershocks come in and that would limit our ability to respond.” DIYARBAKIR, TURKEY (FEBRUARY 6, 2023) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PARTIALLY COLLAPSED RESIDENTIAL BUILDING, EXPOSING INTERIOR OF ROOMS WITH FURNITURE
  • Embargoed: 20th February 2023 13:32
  • Keywords: Syria Turkey WHO earthquake rescue
  • Location: CAIRO, EGYPT / HAMA & JINDIRES, SYRIA / DIYARBAKIR & ADANA, TURKEY
  • City: CAIRO, EGYPT / HAMA & JINDIRES, SYRIA / DIYARBAKIR & ADANA, TURKEY
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Europe,Earthquakes/Volcanoes/Tsunami
  • Reuters ID: LVA001782906022023RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES
    The World Health Organization (WHO) expects a significant increase in the death toll after a major earthquake and its aftershocks reduced buildings to rubble in southern Turkey and northwestern Syria, regional director said on Monday (February 6)
    The magnitude 7.8 quake, which rattled southern Turkey in the early hours of Monday morning, was the worst to hit the country this century, killing more than 900 there and about 550 across the border in Syria, according to officials.
    It was followed hours later by another large quake, magnitude 7.7.
    "I think we can expect the death toll to increase significantly," Rick Brennan, the WHO's regional emergency director for the Eastern Mediterranean, told Reuters.
    ""There's been a lot of building collapses and it will increase more significantly around the epicentre of the earthquake."
    Brennan said WHO was increasing its staff in the southern Turkish city of Gaziantep, the epicentre of the earthquake, and exploring its options to send mobile medical teams to the area. He added, however, that rescue efforts were complicated by aftershocks from the initial earthquake.
    “We’re concerned about the structural integrity as more aftershocks come in and that would limit our ability to respond,” he said.
    Already grappling with a years-long humanitarian crisis, major economic woes and a cholera outbreak, Syria finds itself in a "perfect storm" in the wake of the deadly earthquake, Brennan said.
    "The convergence of all these crises is leading to enormous suffering," he said.
    (Production: Cecile Mantovani)
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