The death toll in Turkiye and Syria has surpassed more than 23,700. The deadliest earthquake in two decades of 7.8 magnitudes struck the region on Monday, February 6. Agencies and rescue workers have warned that the figures are likely to rise higher as many are still trapped under the rubble. Extreme cold weather is also hampering rescue efforts in search of survivors of the earthquake.
The Syrian government has given permission for international aid to be sent to earthquake victims in rebel-held territory in the northwest of the country.
According to the state media, the Syrian cabinet has given the go-ahead for the delivery of humanitarian aid to all parts of the country including the rebel-controlled areas. The decision came after days of appeals by aid agencies to get permission for entering the rebel-held area. UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths has hailed the move by the Syrian Government.
Meanwhile, the UN’s refugee agency said that as many as 5.3 million people in Syria may have been left homeless by Monday’s earthquake. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative for Syria, Sivanka Dhanapala, said the preliminary estimate was for all people affected by the quake needing shelter assistance across Syria.