Two weeks after a major earthquake killed tens of thousands of people, Turkey has stopped rescue efforts in all but two provinces. This was confirmed by the nation’s disaster agency, the Disaster and Management Authority.
According to the agency’s leader, searches will continue in Kahramanmaras and Hatay. Unfortunately, there are dwindling chances of discovering any other survivors among the debris.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is now in Turkey, has announced $100 million in humanitarian help. The 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Kahramanmaras on February 6 had its epicentre there.
There have been confirmed fatalities totaling more than 44,000 in northern Syria and southeast Turkey. With around 345,000 apartments in Turkey reported to have been damaged and numerous others still missing, the death toll is certain to increase. The number of those who are still missing has not been disclosed by Turkey or Syria.
According to the head of the disaster agency, Yunus Sezer, search and rescue efforts have been concluded in several of the provinces. He added that over 40 structures in the two provinces were still the subject of search and rescue operations, though he anticipated that this number would decline by Sunday night.
More than 11 days after they were buried by the earthquake, rescuers retrieved at least three individuals from the ruins on Friday.
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